Have You Ever Thought of Yourself as Being Excellent?

When you think of something being defined as excellent, does it include superior quality like an excellent dinner that was outstanding? Have you thought of yourself as achieving excellence in any area of your personal life? Perhaps you were a 4.0 honor student or better.

Alexander the Great was an excellent military strategist. Herod the Great gained distinction for building an impressive temple in Jerusalem. Both of these famous leaders, however, had a dark side for which they had to be accountable.

Being accountable includes giving a personal evaluation of how you’ve lived by doing what was required. Jesus experienced deep sorrow and anxious moments in the Garden of Gethsemane, but when it came time to do what God sent him to accomplish, he gave himself completely. 

What does God expect of you that will prompt you to give an excellent report of yourself?                  

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You yourself must be an example to [others] of good deeds of every kind. Let everything you do reflect your love of the truth and the fact that you are in dead earnest about it. Your conversation should be so sensible and logical that anyone who wants to argue will be ashamed … because there won’t be anything to criticize in anything you say. 

Titus 2:7-8 The Living Bible 

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The Right Thing for the Right Reason

An interesting component of Joseph’s character was his ability to carve out a niche for himself despite difficult conditions. From his adolescence, he was not given a choice about where or how he would spend his life. Yet he had this fantastic capacity for thinking rationally and logically toward discovering how to use a situation for his best good.

 

C. S. Lewis said in Mere Christianity, "Right actions done for the wrong reason do not build the quality of character known as integrity. It’s this quality of character that matters.” The reason for Joseph’s conduct was his strong belief that God had a purpose for him wherever he was and whatever he had to do.

Joseph found a niche for himself in prison, but it was his integrity that convinced the warden to trust him. So, when he least expected it, he was summoned to the court of Pharaoh, King of Egypt. God had a place for him because he demonstrated faith and integrity in every situation. Joseph consistently did the right thing for the right reason.  

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The one who lives with integrity will be helped, but one who distorts right and wrong will suddenly fall.

~Proverbs 28:18 Holman Christian Standard Bible

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

~Titus 2:7-8 New International Version

The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin. 

~Proverbs 11:3 The Message