Excellence. It is a good word. We, who are made in His perfect image, should strive for excellence: to be the best we can be at whatever we do. What does excellence look like in practice?
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,”
-Colossians 3:23
Is it not that simple? If we are truly grateful for what He has done for us. He died for us. Can we not repay Him by bringing our best to everything He has entrusted us with?
This piece is not in my usual format. It is more forceful and passionate in how I feel about this topic. I apologize in advance. The problem is that when God-fearing people treat work as a means to a paycheck, with no regard for the impact it has on the rest of the community, they are not serving.
Why do we treat work as a source of income and not as an assignment from God? Every little thing we do impacts others around us. When we do not bring excellence to the table, we are undermining what we are entrusted with. Take a salesman at a golf store, for example. You may ask how it matters that you do not bring your best self to work. It is a luxury. No one is getting hurt if you are not doing all it takes to be excellent. The reason is not what you do. It is who you do it for.
If you work for Jesus, no matter what you do, pull yourself up. Put on your best attitude of gratefulness and shine the light of Jesus. You owe it to Him and to your brothers and sisters.
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.“
-1 Corinthians 10:31
Dear God,
Please help me remember that everything I do is to glorify You and You alone. I am sorry for the times I have cut corners or failed to bring my best to the tasks before me. You are the perfect teacher: please open my heart, mind, and soul to be a good student and absorb the valuable lessons You so generously bestow upon me. I pray in Your precious name, Jesus. Amen.