Reaching the Heights of Excellence Essay

Most people want to pursue excellence, as if it is a goal to be reached. There is a notion that excellence is the key to be powerful. When you are excellent you have high chances to be chosen as a leader, a model person, an employee in prestigious companies or institutions and a highly-respected individual. However, excellence is not a goal but a standard and a winsome lifestyle. It is a journey and never a destination. Climbing the heights of excellence is giving a notion that excellence is a pursuit of pre-eminence which is parallel to the denotation of excellence. Excellence denotes a quality which is unusually good and so surpasses ordinary standards or a state of being outstanding and superior. It is a pitfall for Christians. The Bible says in Colossians 1:17-19 that Christ should have the pre-eminence in all things. Nevertheless, the heights of excellence could be God’s ideals for His children and not lording over anyone acting as god. Incorporating the work ethics and values, and devotion in reaching the heights of excellence can become excellence in God’s ideals. Values tend to affect attitude and behavior for it is defined as broad preferences concerning the courses of actions or outcomes. Attitude and behavior reflect the values one upholds because they are observable. It is by action that work ethics and values become visible. Work ethics will only remain as a set of values based on hard work and diligence if action is absent. It is not only applicable in jobs or professional works. It is applicable in everything one does. Whatever pursuits, may it academics or extra-curricular activities or home chores require work. Work is everywhere and whatever one does, one can reach the heights of excellence when one is being reliable, initiative and teachable. It is very crucial to have a teachable spirit in working. One cannot say that he or she has attained all the necessary things to be able to accomplish the best of everything. Be contented but never be satisfied because learning is a lifetime quest. Satisfaction is the enemy of excellence. Being teachable is one of the important values in excellence. Excellence is not afar when the actions of work ethics and values are consistent. Excellence without Christ is nothing. Devotion is always attributed to God. It depicts the religious zeal of a person. Excellence is never apart from God. Many Biblical characters as Daniel had become excellent because of God. Daniel 6:3 tells that Daniel was excellent because the excellent spirit was in him. To apply devotion in reaching the heights of excellence is to reorder one’s priorities by being single-minded. Make God the first, the best and the last in everything and excellence is not apart from you. There is a perception that devotion to God hampers the pursuit in reaching the heights of excellence. Excellence is a winsome lifestyle. It is the inevitable effect of incorporating devotion in reaching the heights of excellence. It is being Christ-centered, focused and nice. The problem with being excellent apart from God’s ideals is the tendency to be boastful or to brag if it is in academic pursuits, to be ‘holier than others’ attitude if it is in spiritual aspect and to be mean and rude if it is in administration. Work ethics and values, and devotion can only be seen through actions. It is by the consistent actions of work ethics and values through the positive attitude and behavior that excellence is in a person. It is by devotion through earnest commitment to God that the heights of excellence become attainable. Excellence can never be apart from God. Excellence is the standard of God and that’s what makes it His ideals. And such standard can be visible in the character. Work ethics and values, and devotion should be a part of one’s character to reach the heights of excellence. Excellence is a journey; therefore, incorporate work ethics and values, and devotion in the everyday life. Excellence is a standard and a winsome lifestyle; therefore, set the standard high and yet honor God and bless humanity. The integration of work ethics and values, and devotion to the ways of life is the application that will certainly bring you to the heights of excellence. It is the heights that are God’s ideals.