Daily Wisdom 02-23-2006 Perfection or Excellence?

I often think about how I live life. Am I doing things that I know and understand, or am I just guessing? Sometimes living for God is like that and we don't have all the answers. I can get confusing and frustrating sometimes, even for a Bible school student. One thing that I always think about in depth is the manner in which I do things. I always have the answer to that one.

I do things in my life with a measure of excellence. Excellence is simply doing the best possible job with what is available. Excellence is what your parents asked for when they told you "just do your best". I often ponder the difference between excellence and perfectionism.

Perfection a way of doing things that is absolutely correct and achieves the desired result every time. Perfection is the lack of failure. I am not perfect, nor do I do everything to perfection. I do, however, try to do everything with excellence.

The difference between perfection and excellence is that perfection is afraid to fail. There is a fear of failure there. But the Bible says in the book I John, chapter 4, verse 18 that "perfect love drives out fear... " Excellence knows that nobody is perfect, but if we try our best, than perfection is attainable. I strive for perfection because I take pride in my work and in my life. When I fail, however, I do not let that get me down, but rather I am encouraged to know that I gave it everything that I had. I get up, dust myself off, and try it again.

Be encouraged, folks! God expects our very best, but He also knows that nobody is perfect! Fear not failure. Take comfort in knowing that God loves you and will be proud of you through success or failure, as long as everything you do is with a spirit of excellence. Go get 'em!

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Contributed by Nathan Bernock: NathanJGB@Yahoo.com Nathan is an aspiring youth minister currently residing in Dallas, Texas, attending Christ For the Nations Institute until summer 2007. He is engaged to a wonderful woman of God named Sarah, and plans to live in Michigan in the future.