Are you Excellent or Obedient?

What kind of question is that. Are you excellent or are you obedient? It's the question that tonight slapped me across the face in a realization that only comes with truth. It came from "Everyman's Battle," and I don't care if your a man or a woman I recommend this book. It is filled with vital information for anyone living in America today.

So as I was reeling from this sudden shock I wondered, shouldn't I be an excellent Christian? isn't that what I'm trying to do? The book also posed this question. Isn't excellence also perfection? Not always. Here is an example. Excellence in business terms means that your product or service is satisfactory to the consumer so that you appear to do a perfect job. I mean you can have a great laptop but it is going to have problems. It might be excellent but it's not perfect.

So what is wrong with excellence? I mean I'm human, I'm not perfect and I can't be. While this is true you also have to understand that excellence is a mixed standard, that changes and can be compromised. So what do you do then?

You strive to be obedient. That is a fixed target, a non-compromising goal that isn't mixed with your own compromises. I'll put it in the way that made since to me. When I was skeet shooting I shot 24 out of 25 targets out of the sky. That was excellent. However when I was at the shooting range firing at a non-moving target every single shot hit the target. They may not have all been bullseyes but they all hit the target.

So my prayer tonight is that I will be obedient. That is something that requires humility and meekness. Which to this worlds backwards thinking is a bad thing but let me back this up a bit.

Matthew 18:4
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Ephesians 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Isaiah 1:19
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;

1 Peter 1:14
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.