Rembrandt, The Money Changer
”Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” –Aristotle
Rembrandt became a master of light and a detailed painter, exquisite faces by training, practice, and years and years of painting, over and over and over again–practice. And so it is with any craft, skill, degree or accomplishment.
However, it is also true of character and a Christian testimony–the character that is habituated to improving, developing integrity by practice, stretching to work hard, to do the best, to exceed expectations comes from daily practice and personal integrity. Those whose ideals are set high and aim, each day to pursue those ideals will have the opportunity to become excellent in any field.
This comes from an inner grid, the way one learns to see life and expects himself to live. We called this “self-government,” when we trained excellence of character into the very fiber of our children’s souls.
I have been surrounded by mediocrity, compromise and substandard Christians in several public arenas and personal situations lately. I have asked myself, with the image of the living God imprinted upon my very being, shouldn’t I, and all true believers, be able to call forth excellence and integrity as a reflection of Him in my life.
“As a man sows, so shall he reap.” Galatians
Yet, excellence and integrity is a personal issue. One can only become this way through a personal commitment, a vision of oneself, and a decision that says,
“Regardless of what is happening around me, I will be the best I can be, work the hardest I am able, pursue the highest standards–especially for my personal life where no one but God sees–because I have been bought with a price and have His Holy Spirit residing within. So my worship of Him requires that I pursue the standard of His Holiness as an affirmation of His reality in my life.”
Whether as a mother training the character of children, filling their minds with excellent writers, artists, thinkers, or as a woman being a steward of every aspect of her life, one can only become excellent by stretching, determining to obey His still small voice and then using every resource to pursue bringing His light and imprint upon this world.
This labor of excellence, personally and in the lives of our children, may/will take many long years–but if we are not committed to pursuing whatever it takes to build this excellence, then what hope does our future have–and even more, how can we represent Him, who has given all?
Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” We are called to become leaders that others can follow and emulate.With every year of faith, there should be more of Him reflecting through our lives. It is not a choice, it is a call on our lives. We cannot say, “I am a Christian, but I think I will make “c’s or d’s” in my character choices. We aim high because the love of Christ compels us.
More in the months ahead–but have just been pondering–why are so many believers falling so short of His best?
Not talking about being a pharisee–talking about what we should expect as royalty–children of the most high God. We have set our standards far too low…….
You gotta love, love. And it is this area I fall short. I choose sleeping in, for a few more (unsound) moments of rest, over getting up and bringing tea in to my husband and starting his day bright and easy. (It would be a blessing to us both!) I want to love. In this way, and many others. Self gets in the way. I want to aim high, aim for big love, all the time. I like your post.
Amen Sally!
What a wonderful reminder that we are called to more, we are called to higher, we are called to pure. It is so easy to slip into mediocrity –or worse, brief apathy– when we are tired or too busy, but that is not “living a life worthy of our calling,” as Eph. 4:1 encourages. Thanks for this, Sally!
So perfectly, passionately and beautifully said, Sally!!! I couldn’t agree more. Thank you for calling us to that high standard – the same as Christ when he said, “Be holy for I am holy.”
Love you!
A good reminder, Sally! I think it is sometimes too easy to depend on grace to cover us. There is another side of the coin that says faith without works is dead (James). Our faith should make a noticeable difference in our lives so we point others to Christ.
I agree Katie. There’s a lot of “grace” talk in Christian circles today. We are afraid of being legalistic, so we don’t stand for much and we don’t “judge” others. It’s a sad phenomenon that I see as destructive to the living Word of the Lord.
I would have to agree with your statement. We do not live up to 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 and speaking truth in love to our brothers ans sisters in Christ.
You said so well something that has been bugging me for several years. Thank you for the encouragement that we ARE called to aiming high!
This is a great read. I have found myself questioning my own mediocrity. And wondering the same about Christians (in a whole). There are only a handful of Christians that I know that live an extraordinary authentic Christian life.
I wonder (with myself) if I’m just too lazy??? If I spent more time in God’s word I would be able to extend love, grace, & mercy more. I would be able to live the full life that Jesus came to give.
I needed to hear this. Thank you.
Because it is just so stinkin’ hard!
This was just what I was thinking about today. it is 3pm and we have yet to do any school. It seems like all day I have been after the kids to just do their chores. kids are grumpy and snapping at each other. It seems like with 5 kids, homeschooling, a home business all I can do is mediocre? I was just thinking this morning- why is it that I can’t just do the things I want to do with the kids? ie sit and read- do nature walks, have time outside in the garden… But then who does the laundry, who does the many many other things that need to be done? The kids do have a good amount of chores, but with the oldest being 9 yrs old it is really hard to get them all to actually do them without constant nagging on my part… AAAHHHHH I am looking forward to your wisdom in this area in your future posts. I would love to have higher standards, just afraid I would fall really really short…
Thank you! <3
A thousand times over, yes!!!! Love this Sally and I totally agree!!!
I wrote a post similar to this a little while back called “Glorifying the Mess” and I wrote how we are so bent on being OK in our mess, but not moving forward from there. We glorify it as being OK. http://joyfulmothering.net/2012/05/14/glorifying-the-mess/
Good word, Sally! Thank you!
Very encouraging.
Why do we settle? Well, I was really thinking about that as I was reading this post. One clear sad reason is that other than your posts, even after being a Christian for 12 yrs, I never hear this message…not in the churches or among one another. I have never been surrounded by those pursuing excellence – unless for themselves, not for God.
Thank you for bringing us messages that many of us do not hear or know…
As always, your posts get me thinking, and encourage me.
Right before reading this, I read Ann’s post over at Mom Heart. Amazingly both posts have some similar points- pursuing excellence and being good stewards. God wanted me to hear this. Thanks, Sally, for bringing a wake up call to live in true reality. Love you!
A truly inspiring post today! Thank you so much!
With the demands on me both external and internal, I jsut don’t sometimes and as a result, nothing or very little gets done or developed. I do find it hard to mangage the tension and even to determine what is the best. My surrounding culture is not always helpful and the clamor can produce lots of pressure. That includes the Chirstian community that as just as many misplace proirities and pressures as anywhere. Right now I am struggling with this more that I would like! Making the main thing the main thing!!
We need both Grace and Truth. John 1:17 “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” We need excellence but then grace when we fall short. Only grace without truth is unhealthy, and only truth without grace is unhealthy. Oh, to have equal measures of both!!
It is a tricky thing. To aim high, and yet not get caught up in a self-condemning guilt trip when we fall short… because inevitably, we are still human with a sinful nature, it’s gonna happen. Yes, I speak the grace message, and I believe in it. But I also 100% agree and love your inspirational post about holiness. That is what you are talking about. And just this morning, I was reading in 1 Peter about our call to holiness. We are to be holy, because He is holy. If we could just “get over” ourselves. Stop thinking about me, myself, and I, perhaps this pursuit would be that much easier. If there could be less of me and more of Him…
Thank you for writing this, and also for reading my ramblings.
So one other thought… How can we be content in all things yet still striving to be better? Where is the balance between not measuring up/striving to be better and being content in your season of life and its crazyness?
This is why i follow Sally Clarkson & I take Joy… beautiful (love Rembrandt) & so thought provoking (think convicting) & always pointing the way (back) to Christ!
Thank You! I needed this. ~Blessings
Striving for excellence…. That is what I need and what I want my children to have as a goal. I feel a bit like another comment that was made, in that all the talk of grace vs legalism, not judging others, accepting people for what they are, etc… etc… even with my own children makes it difficult to find the balance. I am studying a bit and working on this issue in my own life. I am reading through the gospels so I can learn about how Jesus lived among sinners yet spotless. Meek, humble, serving, giving, yet he also stood up for right and excellence. It has been very thought provoking. I want to excel without being self-righteous and condemning. I need to practice loving above and beyond, and dying alot more to self, and setting that as an example to my children. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wisdom. Signed up to get your posts in my inbox!