“Whatever you do, do well.” Ecc. 9:10 (Eseezeeclastees, as some of the kids pronounce it.)
The nFlight Kids at The Lift learned about having the Spirit of Excellence last month. I think it’s a good lesson for us all, young and old alike, to learn. Better yet, acquire.
The spirit of excellence begins in the heart. Whether as an employee, a son or daughter, a volunteer, a student, a boss, a parent, or any other position I could name – if there isn’t some measure of honor, first towards God, and second towards the ones we serve, the spirit of excellence will be non-existent.
Finding someone who lives this verse: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might;” seems almost impossible nowadays. So, what are we to do? We teach and model it. Keith (my husband) and I, believe in raising up a generation that will catch this spirit of excellence and permeate every fiber of their being. As pastors and leaders, it’s an absolute must.
A common misconception is that excellence equals perfection. Not true. Excellence means you are doing what’s asked of you or what’s expected “with all your might.” It speaks of good work ethic, quality, and distinction. Perfection means there’s going to be a 100% outcome every time. It means free from all flaws or defects. As a parent, employer, teacher, and mentor – I know that I can’t put the unrealistic expectation of perfection on anyone. I understand just how much I fall short, so I’m certainly going to extend mercy and grace. However, I do have good work ethic. I believe in doing and doing to the best of my ability. I long to see this generation grasp the true meaning of this. IT IS NOT PERFECTION. It is about doing everything you do with a heart to do it right; it’s desire to give your 110% (going above and beyond), not getting 100% everything exactly on-point every single time.
It took me years to figure the difference out. When operating out of the perfectionist mindset, I fall short over and over, and I beat myself up. When operating out of the spirit of excellence, I understand I’ve done something to the best of my ability, and instead of self-condemnation, I learn from my mistakes and get better every time.
We should want the spirit of Daniel from the Bible: “Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the others… because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.” Daniel 6:3
*Other verses to study*
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…” Col. 3:23
“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings;” Pro. 22:29
