“Over
The Top” Living
“But just as you
excel in everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness
and in your love for us-see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” 2 Corinthians 8:7
Someone once said, “The best advertisement
for Christianity is Christians. However,
the worst advertisement is…you guessed it, Christians.” Depending on the quality, winsomeness and integrity of our lives, we can
either draw people to a Christ-centered life or repel them from it. For the most part, the world doesn’t mind
Christianity but they do mind Christians that don’t live out a pure Christianity. With
an plethora of mediocrity surrounding us, God desires that we would excel.
God has called us to be “over
the top” people in an “below sea level” culture and thrive in every way. In 2 Corinthians 8:7, Paul
writes, “But just as you excel in
everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in
your love for us see that
you also excel in this grace of giving.” The word “excel” means “over and above,
standout or surpass.” The Greek word is “perisuo” where we can the word “periscope”
meaning a rising up or higher level. The
apostle reminds us that we need to be good whether everyone is watching or no
one is watching. Because the truth is,
Someone always is.
The Statue of
Liberty sits proudly in the New York Harbor long symbolizing the freedom and
opportunity the nation holds for countless immigrants who sailed into Ellis
Island and many others who daily see Lady Liberty. I heard a story some time back about Oscar
Hammerstein. He had seen a picture, a
photograph of the top of the Statue of Liberty from a helicopter. He commented that the picture revealed the
intricate details that had been sculpted in Lady Liberty’s head- her hair and
her crown and all those things at that angle which no one could ever see Intricate
painstaking detail.
As the Statue was
being prepared as a gift to the United States from France in the late 1800’s,
the French sculptor must have realized that they didn’t have planes and
helicopters in the day it was built. So
naturally it would have been easy to skimp and cut corners on this unnoticeable
portion of the Statue known that no one would see once the top of the Statue of
Liberty’s head was in place which was technically impossible to see. However, Hammerstein noticed that he spent
the same painstaking detail and care and craftsmanship on the top of Lady
Liberty’s head which he must have assumed might ever see as he did down at the
feet and everything else that would be seen by everybody. Little did he know that someone eventually would
be able to see it from above. Everyday. That is truly the definition of excellence.
The reason that we should excel because we
have a God working for us but just as importantly, we are working for God.
Often, people can disguise bad work, honesty, and work ethic as many
simply by doing what is less than expect or simply measuring up to bare
minimum. But true faith goes above and
beyond. Not only is that important when
it comes to what people see, but also when it comes to things that no one sees
Daniel, the Old
Testament character, was described as a person of excellence in every way. As a prisoner turned political powerhouse,
Daniel set Himself apart through a life where others took notice. Daniel
6:3 says, “Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators by his
exceptional (or excellent) qualities that they king planned to set him over the
kingdom.” While he had every
reason to gripe and grouch about His
conditions, He encouraged and excelled to the highest heights to serve under
three different kings.
Whatever you might
set your hand to accomplish, do it wholeheartedly for Him. “Whatever
you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.”
(Colossians 3:23,24) When all is said and done, we can choose to
cut corners, get by, or live with “over the top” excellence. Even if no one else sees, we can choose to
please and will be rewarded by God Himself Who has the best aerial view
around.
Terry Risser
Reflections:
1)
Which area in 2 Corinthians 8:7 (at the top)
is God speaking to you about raising?
2)
How can you ask His help today?
Consider reading the Word today:
Copyright 2014- Terry Risser
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