Word of the Week - Excellence

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent. Philippians 1:9-10 (NKJV)

We Serve a God of Excellence - Our God is a God of Excellence at His very core. He has created all things with Excellence (very good of its kind; eminently good; first class). As His children He desires for us to receive His spirit of Excellence and reproduce it. I believe a spirit of Excellence is a godly attitude that is demonstrated by how we live. Just like many other godly fruits/attributes such as love, joy and patience, a spirit of Excellence is a byproduct of what God is doing on the inside of us as we are discipled in Christ and allow Him to impart His nature within our soul and spirit. If we understand who God really is, we cannot help but want to represent Him well as we engage all things with purpose, passion and Excellence.Bring Your Very Best to All You Do - "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." Col 3:23-24  I love this verse because it exudes the spirit of Excellence for those who are in Christ. Whether we are doing full time ministry, working in the marketplace, serving in the community, raising and disciplining our children or hosting a party, we should do everything as unto the Lord and thus with a Spirit of Excellence. The difference between good and great is a spirit of Excellence. God does not require us to be perfect, but He does call us to have an attitude and posture of Excellence.Excellence in the Marketplace - Rather than displaying a Christian fish symbol on all our marketing materials, if we simply conduct our lives and run our businesses with excellence and integrity the world around us cannot help but stop and take notice. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the Excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into the marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 So what does it look like to be excellent in business:  1) having an attitude of service, 2) being honest and transparent in all of your dealings, 3) striving to exceed expectations, 4) being willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, 5) taking responsibility when you make mistakes and being candid and timely in addressing any issues and 7) being proactive and taking ownership. All of these things work together to create a spirit of excellence. Walking in Excellence consistently over time will result in being a positive witness for the Gospel of Jesus. This creates opportunity for us to share our faith and influence others for the Kingdom.Have a great week, and take every opportunity to live in a godly spirit of Excellence.Godspeed,