thoughts on Excellence!

4 Scriptural Foundations regarding EXCELLENCE!

  “...approve the things that are excellent.” Philippians 1:9-10 (New King James Version)
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

“…most excellent way.” 1Cor 12:27-31 (New International Version)       

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.

“…these things are excellent…” Titus 3:8 (New International Version)       
This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

 “...anything is excellent…” Phil. 4:8-9 (THE MESSAGE)

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Excellence does not equal success. 

It doesn’t always seem logical. 
It isn’t always popular.
 
Success is a worldly standard.      Excellence is a spiritual philosophy.

Treat a person as he is expected to be and he will rise to that level.  Treat a person as he is and he will stay there or decline. Paraphrase, Goethe

Words People of Excellence Are Comfortable With

Challenge                
Goals             
Growth Opportunities
Vision                       
Risk               
Failure

“Mediocrity is excellent to the eye of the mediocre.” – Joubert

“You will never stub your toe standing still.  The faster you go, the more chance there is of stubbing your toe, but the more chance you have of getting somewhere.” – Kettering

“We need to be on the stretch for God.” – Jack Hayford

"Observe those who seem to be better than average." – Ted Engstrom

“…soak his life with characters who had achieved excellence.” –  Elton Trueblood

EXCELLENCE can be attained if you:

            CARE more than others think is wise…

            RISK more than others think is safe…

            DREAM more than others think is practical…

            EXPECT more than others think is possible!

“We have not advanced very far in our spiritual lives if we have not encountered the basic paradox of freedom…that we are most free when we are bound.  But no just any way of being bound will suffice; what matters is the character of our binding.  The one who would be an athlete, but who is unwilling to discipline his body by regular exercise and by abstinence, is not free to excel on the filed or the track.  His failure to train rigorously denies him the freedom to run with the desired speed and endurance.  With one concerted voice, the giants of the devotional life apply the same principle to the whole of life:  Discipline is the price of freedom.” – Elton Trueblood

Don’t Equate Excellence With Success

“Excellence is based on failure, usually one failure after another. – Ted Engstrom

            Thomas Edison –  inventor of numerous things used every day,

            2 dejected assistants, 700 failed experiments,

            Ted Williams – batted .400, failed 6 out of 10 times

            King David – failed to control himself, “a man after

             God’s own heart.”, failed to discipline his sons

            Sarah – Listed in “Hall of Fame”, used as an example of a Godly

             wife, failed to have children until 93 yrs old., failed to treat Hagar
                      properly,
                  Sampson – used by God to deliver Israel, disobeyed God 

 Peter – pivotal leader in the early church “The Rock”, denied Christ 3 times 

 Jonah – A whole city turned to God.  Jesus quoted his prayer., ran from God

“Years of discipline for a moment of freedom.” – (paraphrase) Martha Graham

We Don’t Expect Enough From Ourselves

We say “I can’t” too often.

We say “I don’t care” too much.

We say “I don’t know” too easily.

We say “I’m not sure I should…” too quickly.

We say “What if” too much.

Think about an Olympic Athlete and those statements.