Recently we had a great evening at the church hosting Hall of Fame football player Jim Otto of the Oakland Raiders.
It was an evening we called “Celebrating Excellence!”
So, it got me thinking about … Excellence!
Is excellence just for the uniquely gifted? Those who have gifts of creativity or athleticism etc. You, know, those who make the “Hall of Fame?”
The answer is, no!
Excellence is a character issue. Character is the sum of our choices. It has to do with the choice of what effort I am going to give. It has to do with utilizing what God has given me. He gave us — life — and what excellence, is — is giving our best back to Him in the maximizing of our potential.
It’s as if when we were born God gave us a bag and inside are gifts, and opportunities, and potential. Excellence is doing something with what has been given to us. It’s maximizing our potential by giving the best effort possible. Too often people spend their time looking into other people’s “bags” rather then developing what has been given to them.
Excellence involves the lil things/ the “small choices!”
When Jesus fed the 5,000, we’re told it all began with 2 fish and 2 loafs of bread. A young boy was identified by Andrew who offered the food. What it tells us is that the Lord can use something small in a great way.
Phillips Brooks “Character may be manifested in the great Moments, but it is made in the SMALL ONES.”
The world champion boxer Joe Frazer said, “You camp out a fight plan or a life plan. But when the action starts, you’re down to your reflexes. That’s where your road work shows. If you cheated on that in the dark of the morning, you’re getting found out now under the bright lights.”
Excellence is different than “SUCCESS!”
Brian Harbour identifies this in his book Rising Above the Crowd. “Success means being the best. Excellence means being your best. Success, to many, means being better than everyone else. Excellence means being better tomorrow than you were yesterday. Success means exceeding the achievements of other people. Excellence means matching your practice with your potential.”
Excellence is playing to a different scoreboard. It’s the scoreboard that measures effort.The scoreboard that identifies if I have done my best. It’s the scoreboard that God see’s!
Excellence distinguishes between what you CAN CONTROL Vs. WHAT YOU CAN”T CONTROL
I can control my thoughts
I can control my decisions
I can control my priorities
I can control whether I prepare, whether I play with a big heart, whether I finish well
VERSUS
I can’t control the scoreboard
I can’t control what others think of me
Famed UCLA basketball coach John Wooden,
“My thoughts were directed toward preparation, our journey, not the results of the effort (such as winning national championships). That would simply have shifted my attention to the wrong area, hoping for something out of my control.”
Live EXCELLENCE — to the glory of GOD!
2 Corinthians 8:7 read, “But as you excel in everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you-make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might…”