Excellence: Set the Bar

One of the best memories in high school was when I made varsity and was issued my jersey for the first time. There is something special about holding that jersey in your hand and seeing the name across the front. You realize that when you put on that jersey you are representing something greater than yourself. We all want to be a part of something great. It was the same experience when I went to college and got my new jersey and number for the first time. I’ll never forget how special that was and the sense of responsibility I had representing my team and school.

We should have the same mindset as believers in Jesus Christ. As Christians we bear the name of Jesus, first and foremost we are Team Jesus. Every day we wake up and are representing the name of Jesus and His Kingdom. There should be a weight of responsibility that comes along with it. The way I carry myself, act, and treat others, reflects first on my God and then my fellow teammates and believers in the faith. What does every coach want in a team and organization, we want excellence out of the entire squad!

Kingdom-minded, commitment to excellence--that’s why excellence is one of the four values of FCA. We are a part of something greater than ourselves. When we remember that and we are working for the Lord rather than people, we have an eternal mindset. This mindset gives us the passion and desire to be excellent in all we do for Christ. 

It’s important to realize excellence is not perfection. Perfection focuses on the outcome, but excellence focuses on the process. As an athlete, I often heard, “We are what we repeatedly do.”  If this is the case, then excellence is not a single act but a habit we put into practice. Let’s be people who live a life of excellence and do so for the Lord. When we do this, the way we live our lives will be a testimony to those around us and represent the name of Jesus and His Kingdom well.