Above and Beyond
Spirit of excellence. When you hear that term, what comes to your mind? For me, it’s someone who goes above and beyond what is asked of them. Someone who always gives their all and does their best. Not someone who is perfect, but someone who pursues greatness. They know who they were created to be, and they do all they can to reach their potential.
Maybe you’ve heard the expression “It’s never crowded along the extra mile.” Meaning most people just do the bare minimum of what they’re asked, and encouraging you to give an extra push and go beyond expectations. But why is it important to push further and give everything you have? Because, in my opinion, living with a spirit of excellence means you’re living for more than yourself. You’re not acting selfishly or lazily, but rather living the life you know God has called you to! You’re serving the Lord and others with everything you have for the sake of serving and not asking for anything in return. You are exemplifying Jesus Christ.
When I think of someone who carried a spirit of excellence, I think of Daniel in the Bible. Daniel was faithful and unashamed of God. He was brutally honest with people about who they should worship. He didn’t let the culture he lived in distract him and disconnect him from God, but instead he stood firm in his beliefs and convictions. He was committed to living a life of excellence. Daniel 6:1-5 says this, “It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, ‘We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.’” Daniel had “exceptional qualities” or “a spirit of excellence.” His character was flawless. Even when the government was looking for something wrong with him, they couldn’t find a single thing. What an amazing example to look to and follow!
Our character, too, should point back to Christ and glorify him. It should make it easy for people to connect us with Christ by the way we act and treat others. We are not expected to be perfect. We are not expected to never have a bad day. Obviously, that’s not realistic and that’s not the point I’m trying to get at. We’re all going to mess up sometimes, and those mistakes do not define us. As believers, we are saved by GRACE. When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we receive an endless amount of grace from him. However, that does not allow us to go on living the same lives we lived before Christ. We are called to so much more. We are to pursue a life that is beyond this world. A life that is full of true joy and love that comes only from God. A life that can be described using the term “spirit of excellence.”
I know for me, sometimes it’s easy to stop at “good.” I’ll think to myself, “I mean I did what was asked of me. Even if it’s not my best work, at least I did it. It’s more than some people do.” But those thoughts are coming from a place of selfishness, laziness, and complacency. I want to encourage you (and myself) to go the extra distance. Choose “great” over “good enough.” Choose to give it your all and more. Even in the little things! Make yourself proud of your work and your actions. Choose to live in the way that will allow you to hear the words “Well done, my good and faithful servant” when you are face-to-face with Jesus. (Matthew 25:23)
Challenges:
Strive to be 1% better each day. This leaves no room for “just getting by,” but rather pushes you to choose excellence in all you do!
Have an accountability partner. Choose someone you know will call you higher and who wants you to call them higher. Together you can grow in your reflection of Christ and what a spirit of excellence looks like in your daily life.
Prayer. Ask God to lead you. You can’t do it on your own…no one can! And you don’t have to because He will never leave nor forsake you. Pursue a relationship with him and seek to look more like him each day.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for who you are. Thank you for giving us great examples to look up to, like Daniel. May we all pursue a spirit of excellence in all that we do and live a life that you will be proud of. When we find ourselves in complacency and laziness, would we look to you to get us back on the path you have set out for us. Help us to follow you and glorify you in all that we do. Thank you for grace and that we don’t have to be perfect, but that we get the opportunity to look more and more like you each day. To you be the glory, honor, and praise. In Jesus’ name! Amen!