The Best Life

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I read this story once…a number of years ago, in Europe, there was a terrible accident, and forty men were trapped in a coal mine, where they suffocated to death. Their devastated families gathered at the entrance to the mine, and the spiritual leader of the community came to address the crowd. He hoped to offer words of comfort and guidance. According to author Sidney Greenberg, this is what he said:

“What happened here is a mystery, impossible for us to understand. But I want to tell you about something I have at home. It’s a bookmark that my mother embroidered and gave to me many years ago. On one side, the threads go this way and that, crisscrossed in wild and colorful confusion, and when you look at it, you would wonder if she had any idea what she was doing. But then, when you turn it over, on the other side you see the words ‘God is love,’ beautifully spelled out in silken threads. Now, today we are looking at this tragedy from one side, and it makes no sense. But some day we will be permitted to glimpse its meaning from the other side. Meanwhile, let us wait and trust.”

Had a great week at the SURFCiTY College Leadership Summit. Watch these guys, they’re leaders in the making.

Many people can be excellent for a moment but only a few can do it day after day.

Do people know what they’ll get from you even before you begin, because you have proved consistency overtime?

Always give 110%, the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is the little extra. I once heard it said that communicated commitment.  Where do you fit in the following four categories?

1    The cop out – sets no goals and makes not decision- well I can’t promise; I’ll see what happens
2    The hold out – they’re uncertain if they can reach their goal so they don’t even start
3    The drop out – they start but they stop when it gets tough
4    The all out – they set goals, pay the price and reach their goal

Jesus said you pick up your cross and follow Me. He selected 12 good men of excellence who were prepared to lay it all down.

Good enough is not good enough.  Decide to today to make excellence your minimal standard.

People who possess a spirit of excellence are people who travel the second mile; they are the people who put in that extra effort and expect nothing from it.

There’s a traffic jam on the freeway of the extra mile because the average exit after the first mile and only a few cars travel extra mile.

In Genesis chapter 24 we read the amazing story of Rebekah – whose spirit of excellence positioned her to be a part of the genealogy of Jesus.

When Abraham sent a servant to find a suitable wife for his son there was a standout quality that the servant looked for among all the women – excellence.

Rebekah was a young girl who had traveled to a well to collect water for her family, when asked by the servant for a drink, she offered to collect water for his camels also.

I was once heard someone describe this story with amazing detail – there were 10 camels, they’ve just come 500 miles, they each hold 40 gallons, that’s a total of 400 gallons of water and Rebekah’s probably not older than 16.

There is only a well, no hose or pump, so Rebekah has to draw water using a pitcher or bucket.  Going on the basis that her pitcher holds five gallons, water weighs seven pounds per gallon, which makes it 35 pounds she has to pick up each time.

At that rate of consumption that’s 80 draws from the well, which works out to be four hours, minimum, if she doesn’t take a break.

Essentially Rebekah said to this servant, “I’m going to inconvenience myself so I can make a difference in your life.”

Rebekah didn’t have to go that extra mile and feed his camels but she did.  It was her extra effort that changed her life.  People who live an average life only give what’s expected of them and nothing else.

When you die you should be able to look back and say, “thank God I gave more than I received.”  I heard it said that you’ll only be remembered for two things, the problems you solved and the problems you caused.

As far as Rebekah knew all she was going to get that night was a sore back and to be home late for dinner. She didn’t know that on those camels was gold, silver and linen that was a tribute to her from a wealthy father who was looking for a bride for his elect son.

Go the second mile.  That little extra effort could be the step that turns you to the fulfillment of your dream.

People who possess a spirit of excellence see the big picture without neglecting the small details.

A small leak can sink a big ship.

The mentality of “it’s good enough” is settling for average. Don’t settle for average.

When Michael Angelo was painting a hidden part of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome – a part that would not be seen from the ground – a friend visiting with him asked why he was giving such minute detail to an obscure part that nobody will see.  Angelo responded, “God will see it – I’m not painting this for the pope I’m painting it for God.”

If you take that kind of excellence into your work you’ll have better output and better testimonies, as people want to know why you are like you are.

What’s your attitude? Are you doing everything you put your hand to for the glory of God? Are you doing it with excellence?

Paying attention to detail is the key to being extraordinary in an ordinary world.

People notice those who go beyond average.  In Daniel chapter five we read the amazing wartime story of Daniel’s elevation above all of Babylon.

Daniel’s reputation had preceded him.  The following chapter reveals that the governors could not find fault with Daniel, as he had distinguished himself above all Babylon. Good news travels fast in the world of average.

In horse racing, a horse that can run one second faster than all of the other horses is worth millions of dollars.

Years ago the story was told how French down hill skier, Jean Claude Keeve who won the Olympic gold; he won by just three tenths of a second.  That tiny margin made a big difference – the following year his pay cheque was over $3 million while second place earned just $30, 000 as a ski instructor.

Just a little extra can distinguish you remarkably above average. Conformity is the shortest distance to acceptance in the crowd.

Proverbs 12:26 tells us, “The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduces them”.

Our God is an excellent God and we ought to be people of excellence.

From the previous post.

First, value excellence. When you value something you put a worth on it.  Jesus said your heart is where your treasure is.  He was highlighting how we spend our resource on things we value.

If you value excellence, give your absolute best to everything you do.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 begins, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…”

When you fail to give your best, instead taking short cuts, you only cut yourself short.  You will pay eventually.  Value excellence in your life and it will outwork in all you put your hands to.

This week spoke to my interns at SURFCiTY College about excellence – they requested I post the notes on this bog, so here’s the first part.

Psalm 8:1

The name of a person in the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, denotes their personality or character.

Psalm 8:1 tells us that God is an excellent God and everything He does is excellent. He doesn’t do anything wrong, He does it right the first time.

God didn’t make the earth an average place – He made it excellent! He made man excellent.

God went beyond average. And that’s what excellence is about; it’s about going beyond the average.

If, as Ephesians 5:1 tells us, we are to be imitator of Him, then we too should be people of excellence.  Excellence should be the lifestyle of His people.

The word “EXCELLENCE” is derived from the word “excel” which means to go beyond average.

Leaders of excellence are those people who refuse to settle for the status quo. They are the people who see average as a place they want to keep in their rear-view mirror. They are the people who continually look for ways to stretch themselves, to get better and to do better! They are the people who set their sights on goals others haven’t even thought of. They are the people who shoot so high, even if they miss; they still go higher than everyone else. This is what sets them apart.

Where 100% is average you need to go beyond that if you are going to be a person of excellence.

Seize the day and go beyond average. 99.9% is not good enough. Some time ago I heard of some things that would happen if we settled for 99.9%

• 22, 000 cheques would be deducted from the wrong bank account in the next 60 minutes.
• 12 babies would be given to the wrong parents each day.
• 268, 500 defective tyres would be shipped this year.
• 2, 488, 200 books would be shipped with the wrong covers.
• 2 airliner landings each day would be unsafe.
• 18,322 pieces of mail would be mishandled in the next hour.
• 291 pacemaker operations would be performed incorrectly this year.

Excellence is what puts the extra in ordinary in an ordinary world.

So, how do we achieve the extraordinary in an ordinary world?

Find out next post.

Just another reason why I love Saturdays