THURSDAY THOUGHTS : EXCELLENCE

 

Excellence isn't elusive. It can be had.

It will be diligently sought after, valued, and embraced by the genuinely caring and discerning people among us, whose lived experiences testify of its benefits.

It will, on the other hand, be misused, mishandled, unappreciated, cast aside, and excluded by the opportunistic, ignorant, insecure, discriminatory, cheap, small-minded, and timid— proving that it matters greatly who’s in charge, who controls purse strings, and whether expertise is consulted or respected. 

To justify excluding, rejecting, or downplaying the need or desire for excellence, people have sadly characterized it as arrogance, worldliness, unrighteousness, pomposity, unnecessary, grandeur, too expensive, unwanted, unfit, discouraging, wasteful, impossible, unmanageable, or divisive. 

Excellence isn’t out of reach, nor is it unreasonable, but it often encounters gatekeepers, blockers, envy, jealousy, ignorance, opportunism, injustice, miserliness, unnecessary competition, power trips, control freaks, poor business practices, stubbornness, and waste.

The experience, wisdom, priorities, knowledge, maturity, motives, beliefs, and/or preferences of decision-makers, leaders, planners, and others with authority, determine whether excellence that inspires, educates, motivates, heals—and cultivates MORE excellence— will be enjoyed, as opposed to the crippling, often comical mediocrity for which so many settle. Tolerated mediocrity creates incompetent, unmovable, deluded folk, who see excellence as a threat to their, perhaps, long-held ambitions or positions. 

Mediocrity doesn’t have to be the norm, but, for some ungodly reason, it is often encouraged and elevated. 

If competence is always under fire, or if people (particularly young people) never experience excellence because it’s not allowed, how will they even know it exists?

Mediocrity is not akin to, nor synonymous with humility, holiness, or competence. In the realm of the senses, mediocrity will never be mistaken for excellence. There’s not that much gaslighting or lying in the world to make people think something is good when it isn’t. Mediocrity will never eclipse, nor erase excellence, it just forces polite consumers to suffer through it. It is, nevertheless, often hailed, and even rewarded as “the best we can do”. 

Mediocrity is, often, a choice.

The embrace of mediocrity spawns a community and culture that is always amazed when, even the most basic thing, is done well. 

The more mediocrity is politely applauded, preferred, and passed off as “good enough”, the more it thrives… like weeds…and digs its heels in.

Too many lament and complain when excellence is accepted, supported, and celebrated elsewhere. Is anyone questioning, though, why excellence is often bullied, overlooked, chased away, forced out, underfunded, and the first thing on the chopping block?

It’s not that excellence isn’t for everyone. It has to be revealed, respected, wanted, nurtured, prioritized, taught, and shared.

If there’s anyplace on Earth where excellence should be championed, it’s the spaces and places supposedly set aside for worship to an excellent God. 

Another place, is in schools--at all educational levels.

Yet another, is in halls of justice...and lets not forget public offices.

Why do we so casually throw it away?