Think of someone you have
greatly admired, a person who has inspired you in positive ways to become a
better person. What are some of the qualities of that individual, the traits
that make (or made) him or her stand out in the crowd?
Several qualities
might come to mind. But in thinking about people that have had the most
positive influence on my life, one common characteristic is their determination
to pursue excellence. They might not have done everything exceedingly well, but
the things most important to them were carried out to the best of their
ability.
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| When we're at work, are we willing to say "good enough" is enough? |
We recently saw young
Jordan Spieth not only win the fabled Masters championship but also destroy
tournament records in the process. Our hearts have soared listening to
extraordinary musical performances, perhaps George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”
or Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony.” When we consider again Martin Luther King,
Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, our thoughts become transported by
thoughts of what could be. Then there’s the surgeon that thrills us when, after
performing an extremely difficult surgery on a loved one, assures us everything
will be all right.
In each case we’re
beneficiaries – directly or indirectly – of men and women devoted to their
crafts, unwilling to accept anything less than excellence in what they do. They
took innate talent and then invested the time and effort necessary to develop
and refine their skills.
Many of us, however,
have no idea what that is like. Ours is a time when most people opt to be
observers of excellence rather than participants in it. And there’s a reason
for this: Excellence is hard; mediocity is easy.
Why put in countless
hours practicing on a piano, mastering finger techniques and dexterity by
performing monotonous scales over and over, when we can buy a CD or flip
through the TV channels and find music to our liking? Why endure the tedium of
perfecting fundamentals of a sport, repeating the drills until they become
second nature, when we can just occasionally visit the course or court, have
some fun, and then relax with a “cold one”? Why do all that hard work indeed,
when we can settle for “good enough”?
Because when we
witness outstanding accomplishments – an athlete excelling at the sport of
choice, an educator inspiring students to chase after their dreams, or a
businessperson investing the time and energy necessary to transform a vision
into reality – we catch a glimpse of we could be, if only we weren’t content to
remain mired in the mediocre.
There’s an even more compelling
reason: God has entrusted us with certain abilities and gifts, and expects us
to serve as stewards of those, using them for His glory.
In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus
told the story of the wealthy property owner who entrusted his servants with some
of his property. To one he gave five talents, a second servant received two
talents, and a third was given one talent. Apparently the disparity was based
on the level of responsibility they had already demonstrated in handling his
property.
The servants receiving
five and two talents invested what had been entrusted to them, earning a
substantial gain for the owner. They in turn were rewarded when the owner said,
“Well done, good and faithful
servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many
things; enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21,23). They understood the importance of
excellence, pursued it, and were assigned greater authority.
However, the third
servant had simply dug a hole and put the owner’s money in it. When the owner
returned, the servant gave the money back, exactly as he had received it. His
lack of initiative, choosing to settle for mediocrity, resulted in chastisement
by his master. For him, nothing had been ventured – and everything was lost.
King Solomon,
reflecting on the perplexities and frustrations of everyday life, advised, “Whatever
your hands find to do, do with all your strength” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). In other words, if something’s worth doing,
it’s usually worth doing as well as you’re able.
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