The Excellence Mindset
from You Version
2 Peter 1.8
The pursuit of excellence is not just a secular idea; it is also a Biblical concept. As Christians, we are called to pursue excellence as a way of life because it reflects our God, who is excellent in everything He does. The Apostle Paul encourages us in Philippians 4:8 to think about whatever is true, honourable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent.
One of the first habits I developed in my life was to ‘think’ of excellence in everything, both as a student and an employee. I went on to practice what I believed – “If anything is worth doing, it is worth doing wholeheartedly or not at all.” It is essential to pursue excellence in life because it is one of the critical elements to make a difference and rise above the masses. I believe ‘thinking and functioning with excellence’ brings us closer to our Lord Jesus, who was excellent in all He did and spoke about while on earth. Functioning with an ‘excellence mindset’ gives us unusual opportunities. Excellence is the top-notch degree a human can achieve in his/her lifetime.
As we strive for excellence, we can draw strength and inspiration from the promises of God. In 2 Peter 1:3-4, we read that God has given us everything we need for a dynamic spiritual life and godliness. He has also bestowed on us His precious and magnificent promises so that we can become sharers of the divine nature. These promises equip us to practice excellence in all areas of our lives, whether personal or professional. Whenever I think of all the beautiful resources and promises in the Bible, I am reminded of how much I am equipped for all that is needed to practice excellence in my personal and professional life.
What hits me hard is the verse 2 Peter 1:8:
For as these qualities are yours and are increasing [in you as you grow toward spiritual maturity], they will keep you from being useless and unproductive in regard to the true knowledge and greater understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Excellence works against half-hearted, go-with-the-flow mentalities. One can never work productively with such an attitude where one’s heart, mind and actions are desynchronised. Excellence is an attitude or mindset with an intentional desire to accomplish things excellently that would make us meet expectations and surpass them.
Excellence is not just a matter of doing things well but of doing them wholeheartedly. It is an intentional mindset that strives to surpass expectations and make a difference in the world. It requires discipline, dedication, and a willingness to go above and beyond what is expected of us.
Pursuing excellence makes us more productive and valuable in our knowledge and understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are less likely to be ineffective or unproductive in our Christian walk and more likely to make a positive impact on those around us.
Let us pray that God will help us live a productive and useful life here on earth, characterized by excellence in all we do. May our pursuit of excellence reflect the nature of our God and draw others to Him.
Father, since You have bestowed on me everything that I need to be excellent, help me to live a productive and useful life here on earth. Amen