Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Excellence”
Our Bible verse for today: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Let your light shine.”
Yesterday I wrote that excellence is often determined by how you define it. I personally believe that in most cases it should be measured by effort as opposed to an arbitrary fixed standard that applies to everyone in all cases.
My wife is a case in point. 9 ½ years ago she suffered a major stroke. The doctors had to remove a part of her brain in order to save her life. As a result she was left with significant physical and mental disabilities. But that catastrophic life-changing event also made her an even better person than she was before.
How so? Although she was always a hardworking and dependable person even before the stroke, her stroke-induced limitations have actually become a source of motivation for her. She has a positive “can-do” attitude and she rises above those limitations to be the best she can be in spite of them.
She’s like the Energizer Bunny buzzing around with her little black walker on wheels, decorated with Harley Davidson stickers, the basket usually loaded with children’s craft materials for her latest project at church. Rather than being defined by her limitations and using them as an excuse, Linda just keeps moving forward, doing the best she can in every situation.
Another example is my friend Tom. He too is a stroke survivor. He too is very limited in physical mobility. He too needs a walker to get around. Come to Oak Hill Baptist Church sometime and see Tom drive into the parking lot (he was told he would never drive again). Then watch him walk from the far end of the parking lot (he was told he would never walk again). And then notice that if the doors of the church are open, he is there.
Come to a church work day and see Tom leaning over his walker sweeping the floor, then moving his walker and sweeping some more, little by little making his way down the hallway. Go ahead and tell Tom that he can’t do this, or he can’t do that, and then get out of the way and watch as he goes right ahead and does the very thing you thought he was incapable of.
What you’re seeing in both of their cases is excellence in action. They consistently do the best they can with what they have to work with – even over and above! And oh my do their lights shine! Their examples are a source of inspiration and motivation for others. Both Linda and Tom excel for Jesus and bring glory to Him in the way they live.
So what’s your excuse? For that matter, what’s my excuse? And the answer of course, is that we don’t have one. Each of us should strive to excel in everything we do and we should do it to the best of our ability. When we do, we will shine for Jesus.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 