A More Excellent Way

Likewise, the manner in which we serve God reveals the truth about whether we really love Him. It reveals our true character.

Our heavenly Father wants us to serve Him with the right attitude. Therefore, our objective this year should be to operate in a higher level of excellence in everything we do. The word “excellence” is derived from the word agapé, which is unconditional love. When we love with agapé love, the God-kind of love, we understand that love is a decision, not a feeling. When we love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, strength and possessions—it will show. We will serve Him with willing hearts, and not out of obligation. As we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, we must do so in the spirit of excellence.

As we work unto God, we must decide to pay close attention to detail; this is the essence of excellence. Once we become detail-oriented, we will begin producing superior performance that will position us for promotion. As Christians, we should not strive for self-promotion or promotion according to the world’s standards. God is looking for people who will pay attention to the smallest details concerning His Kingdom. He is looking for hearts that have the right motives.

Speaking of right motives, how will we know when we have become worthy to be called disciples? Jesus says in Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his [own] father and mother [that is, in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God] and [likewise] his wife and children and brothers and sisters—[yes] and even his own life also—he cannot be My disciple” (The Amplified Bible).

God is love and always has been. In the Old Testament, God executed harsh judgment on His people when they disobeyed Him. But today, we have the blood of Jesus which allows us to be cleansed of sin and partake of God’s blessings. We don’t have to receive that kind of judgment as long as we repent and ask God to forgive us. Jesus said love is the fulfillment of the law. It doesn’t cancel out the consequences of broken spiritual laws, but it does attack selfishness and enable you to love the way God intends.

How, then, do we operate in excellence and remain motivated by this agapé love? We love God enough to keep his commandments, which govern success in life. To put it in practical terms, our love for Him will motivate us to arrive at work on time and learn the necessary policies, procedures, and processes established at our place of employment or ministry. Additionally, our love for Him will motivate us to fulfill every requirement of what we are called to do.

Some ministers actually look for ways to compromise in certain areas. However, we must become disciplined enough to operate in excellence at all times, paying attention to even the smallest detail. For example, we must take time to write out plans, processes and procedures, review them; and if they don’t work, tear them up and try again. We must keep revising until we get it right.

Once we have a habit of paying attention to detail, we will receive promotion from God. Let’s continue to strive for excellence. We are called to minister the Word of God to people who are poor, hurting, sick and would otherwise die in their sins. Therefore, we cannot compromise. For each of us, excellence has to become an absolute standard, and an expression of our love for Him. This will be the key to producing superior results, and excelling to the next level in God.