What Exactly is Excellence?

Excellence is a word that can be overwhelming for some of us. It can feel like a standard that is unattainable. Something we are constantly reaching for but never grasping. Or it can feel like a definition that is always changing. As soon as we feel good about what we have produced, someone changes what we are aiming at.

At times, excellence has been a pursuit that led me into seasons of burnout. By always trying to be the best I have taken on too much responsibility, worked too many hours, and lost focus. Ultimately, this way of pursuing excellence left me frustrated and exhausted. But at other times, excellence has brought out the best in me, taking me to new levels, and drawing me closer to God.

So what is exactly is excellence?

Recently I was asked to prepare a lesson on this very topic. As I began to search the Bible, one profound insight jumped out to me – excellence is an internal character quality rather than an external objective. Excellence is not a standard that we aim for, it is a part of who we are. With the proper perspective, excellence is not only a healthy pursuit but a necessary part of following God.

While this is certainly not exhaustive, here are a few things that I was reminded of through my study:

1. Excellence is a part of God’s character.
As Christians, our definition for excellence has to begin with God. The foundation for excellence is not found within myself or in what other people think. Look at how Exodus 15 describes God, “And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You; You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff. (Exodus 15:7 NASB). In Hebrew the word for excellence here means exaltation, majesty, or pride. We see the same word used in Isaiah 2:21, “before the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty, when He arises to make the earth tremble.”

Do you notice the power and strength associated with excellence? Excellence sets God apart and makes His glory known to the people of the earth. In other words, true excellence is a part of God’s character, therefore, excellence is not a self-generated character trait.

2. Excellence in our lives comes through reflecting God’s power and character.
Since excellence is a part of God’s character and God designed men and women to reflect His image, we should be displaying excellence in our lives. Look at what 2 Peter 1:3-4 tells us, “Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” The word used here in the Greek varies some from the Old Testament word for excellence we were looking at above. Here the term means – properly, a virtuous course of thought, praise, purity.

Excellence is a way of life that is honorable and pure. At times this type of living can seem impossible, but we are reminded that when we tap into God’s power, we are able to reflect His excellence.

3. Excellence is something we should be growing in.
Peter continues this thought on excellence by urging his readers to work hard at adding moral excellence and other character qualities to their lives. He explains that when these qualities are increasing in our lives, “they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.” (2 Peter 1:8)

If you are like me, you probably wish that character development happened overnight, but the truth is that’s not how it works. Learning to live like Jesus is a day by day learning process. Instead of seeing excellence as an end goal, we should look at it as something we are continually growing in. As we walk through different seasons and circumstances, we will learn more and more what it looks like to live out excellence.

4. True excellence points people to God.
Recently, I read an article by Jordan Raynor the author of Called to Create. I love how he speaks to the pursuit of excellence: “There are many good reasons to pursue excellence in all things, especially in our chosen work. Excellence in our vocations advances our careers, makes us winsome to the world, grants us influence, and can lead to opportunities to share the gospel. But none of these good things should be the primary motivators for us as we pursue excellence in our work and the other roles God has called us to fulfill in our lives. We pursue excellence for a much more fundamental purpose—because excellence is how we best reflect the character of Christ and love and serve our neighbors as ourselves. In other words, excellence is our most everyday form of ministry.”

In Colossians 3:23, we are reminded that every task we are given is an opportunity for us to point people to God. Paul says, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” In 1 Corinthians 10:31 we are commanded to do everything we do for the glory of God. Ultimately, excellence begins and ends with God. True excellence in our lives is a result of God’s power and in turn should point to God, not our own abilities.