Pursue Excellence

When I was in college, I had a professor for history that really got on my nerves with the tests he would give. First, he would never call them tests, but rather, opportunities to show what we had learned. Next, at the top of every test was the phrase, "pursue excellence." And did I say that the tests were grueling?

Well, even though in my slacker college days, I was not always in the business of pursuing excellence, I now see great value in those words. As a Senior Pastor, it is my job to pursue excellence in all that I do. It is also my job to push others to pursue excellence in all that they do. Notice I didn't say pursue excellence in our "Christian lives."

Often, that is the problem with Christians. Our lives are segmented into the "Christian" parts and the other parts (business, family, etc...). The result is what people outside the church call, hypocrisy. Galatians says that we are to die to ourselves and live only in Christ. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Pursue excellence in everything you do and you might just be amazed at how quickly people begin to notice your love for God oozing out of your life. It's not going to be easy, but who said it was supposed to be. Jesus had to go to the cross, why should we expect to get to sit comfortably on our couches?