When choosing a surgeon to remove your appendix do you want an average surgeon or an excellent one? When the transmission on your car needs to be rebuilt, do you want it done by a friend who has watched a few YouTube videos, or a certified mechanic who has done it a hundred times?
Often, there can be a very fine line between good or very good, between something that is either adequate or excellent. The Bible tells us that God created the earth in six days and then rested on the seventh day.
“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).
How often do you and I stand back from our own “work,” consider it objectively, and pronounce it “very good”?
Excellence matters to last-day Christians because, as the Great Controversy rages toward its culmination, we represent God by what we do, not just by what we say. A well-known adage says, “Show, don’t tell.” Another states, “Actions speak louder than words.” As people of faith, what we do is a reflection of Who we represent.
When someone walks in off the street and enters our home, church, school, or workplace, do they sense a spirit of excellence? Everything about us makes a huge statement as to the value we place on our beliefs, our standards, our principles, our work, ourselves, and our God. Accordingly, should not excellence permeate every part of our lives?
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24).
Character is the only thing we’re taking with us from this life into the next. Ultimately, that’s what we’re constructing. That’s what endures. And the point is, if we take short-cuts constructing character, we’re building with shifting sediment that which is meant to stand for eternity; because the character we’re building is Christ’s character formed within. Did Jesus leave us an example of excellent work? Absolutely. He left us an example of perfect work.
“O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens” (Psalm 8:1).
A sobering truth which has been proven time and again is that one cannot consistently cut corners and expect to build a solid spiritual character any more than one can take shortcuts and build a solid bookcase or table. There is no such thing as an inconsequential detail.
“In the life of the true Christian, there are no nonessentials; in the sight of Omnipotence every duty is important” (Prophets and Kings, page 488).
In many respects, the characters you and I are forming for eternity are marked and revealed by the tangible tasks we’re involved in; the “work” we produce day by day. It’s there for people to see. “Ye are my witnesses” (Isaiah 43:10). And because of that witness, we must, by God’s grace, transition from a standard of “It will do” to a standard of “It is excellent.” Why? Because God cares about excellence.
If Christ’s character is being reproduced within the soul, that should be evident to those around us. Let’s consider how the following qualities of excellence can be demonstrated in our daily lives:
Lead by Example
It’s an attitude and an action which begins with urgency. It requires us to take initiative and be accountable for our results. Taking charge compels us to be prepared and focused on the actions necessary to make positive things happen. When we lead by example, we inspire others to give their best effort. How can we lead in our sphere with greater confidence?
“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation” (Hebrews 13:7).
“There is an eloquence far more powerful than the eloquence of words in the quiet, consistent life of a pure, true Christian” (The Ministry of Healing, page 470).
Lifestyle
Excellence is not something we turn off and on, depending on where we are or what we’re doing. Excellence implies striving for quality and high standards in every area of life, including our personal appearance, the upkeep of our home, our level of health, the way we fulfill the responsibilities of our occupation, and our relationship with God. The excellence which begins with you and me can and will, and must, be an inspiration to others.
“That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:17)
“The badge of Christianity is not an outward sign, not the wearing of a cross or a crown, but it is that which reveals the union of man with God. By the power of His grace manifested in the transformation of character the world is to be convinced that God has sent His Son as its Redeemer” (MH 471).
Change is Critical
To maintain excellence, we have to be consistently assessing, adjusting, redoing, and fixing. “What needs to change or improve?” “How can I do this better or more efficiently?” “How can I raise the standard of this in the eyes of those around me?”
What worked yesterday isn’t necessarily going to work today. What was good enough then may not be good enough now. We change, not just for the sake of changing or discarding principles, but with an eye toward visible improvement and excellence.
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).
“The fact that we are called upon to endure trial shows that the Lord Jesus sees in us something precious which He desires to develop... The Lord allows His chosen ones to be placed in the furnace of affliction to prove what temper they are of and whether they can be fashioned for His work” (MH 472).
Anticipate
We recognize in advance what could possibly go wrong, and we’re ready with multiple alternatives to fix it on the fly. It’s being aware of what’s potentially around the corner before you get there. It’s about seeing beyond the horizon of today in expectation of what might occur tomorrow. It’s sometimes about over-preparing so that you have multiple solutions, and can properly and effectively manage any potential conflict that may arise.
“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
“He will bless and use in the advancement of His cause those who sincerely devote themselves and all they have to His glory” (MH 474).
Ownership
We often treat things far differently when we own it as opposed to renting it. Think about the way you drive a rental car versus your own. We all need to buy into the vision and esteem it as our own. The vision of a successful enterprise is not “the Leader’s Vision.” For the Christian, the leader is simply a mouthpiece of God’s vision for all of us to fulfill. We all must have the attitude, “The success or failure of this organization, team, or ministry is MY personal responsibility.”
Own each service you are involved in, and exercise your faith to take it higher than before. Owners are determined to win; renters care less.
“But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep” (John 10:12-13).
“As [Moses] led his flocks through the wilds of the mountains and into the green pastures of the valleys, he learned faith and meekness, patience, humility, and self-forgetfulness. He learned to care for the weak, to nurse the sick, to seek after the straying, to bear with the unruly, to tend the lambs, and to nurture the old and the feeble” (MH 475).
Focus on the Details
Very often, it’s the “little things” that make a big difference. What makes one stand out from another? What are the small, seemingly insignificant, things that most people won’t notice but that can collectively raise the bar of your overall presentation, be it personally, professionally, or in your service to God and others?
How can we seek out and cultivate excellence in the small areas and details? Very often, those details won’t be important to us, but they will be of vital consideration for others.
“Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness” (Psalm 150:2).
“It is those who perform faithfully their appointed work day by day, who in God's own time will hear His call, "Come up higher" (MH 478).
Integrity is Paramount
One of our greatest challenges in developing an atmosphere of excellence is the failure to fulfill or complete our word. When we have integrity, our word means something. If people can't depend on what we say, or if our actions aren't aligned with our words, it compromises our integrity.
Am I always on time or early for work? Do I pay my bills promptly? Am I fully prepared to teach or preach or serve when scheduled? Is it obvious to others that I am a Christian? We can, and must, live life so that we are always in a state of integrity.
“But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” (Matthew 5:37).
“Not by their wealth, their education, or their position does God estimate men. He estimates them by their purity of motive and their beauty of character. He looks to see how much of His Spirit they possess and how much of His likeness their life reveal” (MH 478).
Creativity and Inspiration
It’s a sad fact that many people are content to do what has always been done. Excellence is about doing more than the norm, endeavoring more than what is expected, achieving more than others thought possible.
We must be willing to consider new ways and ideas, and sometimes taking calculated risks. It’s not about challenging ourselves one time; it’s about continually striving, learning, growing, and improving, for God’s glory, in business, home, and in ministry.
“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men” (Proverbs 22:29).
“Christ in His life on earth made no plans for Himself. He accepted God's plans for Him, and day by day the Father unfolded His plans. So should we depend upon God, that our lives may be the simple outworking of His will. As we commit our ways to Him, He will direct our steps” (MH 480).
2023 is nearly behind us, 2024 directly upon us. Are you satisfied with how the year has gone? What were your personal, professional, and spiritual goals for 2023? Did you reach them? What will be your goals for 2024? And what is your plan to reach these goals? One must have a plan, because a goal without a plan is really nothing more than a wish. When we get to the end of next year are we going to lament once again that we left something on the table?
God cares about excellence. Let each of us pause to examine whether He is getting our best; let us take ownership of our performance, and be accountable for the results. Because people are watching to see what we do and how we do it. Our profession of Christianity is constantly being evaluated, by those we know, and by those we don’t know. What are we telling them about the God we serve? What are our actions showing them? Are we about mediocrity or excellence? Everything we do is a reflection of who we are, and Who we represent. May we commit to excellence this coming year and beyond. It’s important to God, and therefore should be equally important to us.
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).
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Richard Cecere and his lovely wife, Leslie, volunteer at Uchee Pines Institute in Seale, Alabama. He is an elder of the Phenix City SDA Church, and enjoys reading, teaching, and being married, not necessarily in that order.
