THE ATTRACTIVE SHINE OF EXCELLENCE

Living a life of excellence makes you attractive, gives you influence, opens doors of opportunity for you, and provides for you a platform from which to serve God in everything you do.

 

Here are some biblical examples of this

• DAVID played a musical instrument with excellence―so excellent, in fact, that he was brought to the king’s palace to play so that the king would feel better (1 Samuel 16:15-17). It worked, and it pleased the king greatly. David’s skill and excellence as a musician ended up being the first step in himeventually becoming the king himself. He would go on to influence numerous generations for God. In fact, through his lineage, the Savior of the world would be born. And it all started with his skill and excellence atplaying a lyre. I’ll bet it took a lot of practice and commitment.

• SHADRACH, MESHACH, and ABEDNEGO were gifted with excellence “ten times better than all the other servants” in King Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom (1Samuel 1:20). As a result, the king was drawn to them. Their excellence put them in a position in that godless nation (Babylon) where they could influence the king, and thus the world, for God.

• DANIEL had such a “spirit of excellence” that the king put him over the whole realm (Daniel 6:3).

• JOSEPH had such a spirit of excellence that he prospered in every situation in which he was found.They put him in jail, and he became the head of the jail. They put him in Potiphar’s house as a slave, and Potiphar put him in charge of everything in his household. He would later attain national prominence and save both his family and his people from starvation and depravity.

Your level of life excellence will greatly determine the influence you will have among people and how far you will go in life. If you become excellent, you’ll stand out in the herd, and people in authority will want you close to them. They’ll start asking for your opinion and your leadership. This is why God said, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

 

Unfortunately, the great majority of people are seemingly satisfied with mediocrity, and they end up living and leading a very mediocre existence with limited opportunities coming their way. Many people end up being slackers or skimmers. They do just enough to get by and never achieve much in life. Mediocrity is a blight on our lives.

 

WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE A LIFE OF EXCELLENCE…

• As a STUDENT, you will not be satisfied with C’s; you’ll shoot for A’s.

• As an ATHLETE, you will get to practice early, stay late, take instruction and criticism from your coaches, work hard both on and off the court or playing field, and be a team player.

• In the WORKPLACE, you will stop coming in late orleaving early. You will quit sloppy in your work, you won’t misuse your sick days, and you’ll limit negativity. Instead, you will have a positive attitude and try your best to get along with people and make them better. You’ll be the hardest working and most reliable person in your company.

• With your MONEY, you’ll stop being in a financial crisis all the time. Instead, you will manage your money welland stop being a spendthrift who constantly maxes out credit cards. You’ll stop asking family and friends for “loans” that you never pay back. You’ll be a liberal giver in the church, and you’ll save and invest for your future, instead of depending on others to bail you out when you constantly live a financially irresponsible life.

• In your PERSONAL HYGIENE, you will brush your teeth, comb your hair, and put deodorant on. Yes, if you’re excellent, it will show up in your armpits. It doesn’t take a lot of money to be clean.

• In your DRESS, you will make yourself clean, decent, respectable, and presentable.

• You will clean your HOUSE and CAR at least every now and then. And if you have a “I love Jesus” bumper sticker on your car, then you will make sure to take enough pride in the appearance of your car to wash it so that people can read the bumper sticker.You will also be respectful in your response to other drivers as you navigate your way through traffic.

• When it comes to your MARRIAGE, you will honor and keep the commitment you made to your spouse on your wedding day—period. You will treat your spouse the way you’d like to be treated, and you will never go to bed angry. (Ephesians 4:26.)

• When it comes to RAISING YOUR CHILDREN, you will love them, sacrifice for them, discipline them, and teach them to love God and obey His word so they can be sent out into the world as salt and light in a dark world.

• Concerning your ATTITUDE, you will straighten it out. Instead of being whiny, oversensitive, pessimistic, selfish, overly critical of others, and hard to get along with, you’ll be kind, energetic, and optimistic, and treat all people with love and respect.

• In your CHURCH life (which is all of your life if you are a Christ follower), you will give God nothing less than your best. As the hands and feet of Christ, you should be a trendsetter, instead of a constant mediocre laggard that the world mocks and ridicules.

 

While we live on this sin-infested earth, God wants us, as His people, to: “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky…” (Philippians 2:14-15).

 

Things that shine are usually attractive. How’s your shine?―Steve

 

To read more of my writings please visit my Faith, Life & and Culture blog at the following link. – Blessings