Day 23
Do you see those who are skillful in their work? They will serve kings; they will not serve common people. --Proverbs 22:29 When life feels like an overcrowded boarding area of an airport, we are tempted to do only as much as is necessary to get by. We lose the verve for excellence. We are content to simply make it through to the next meeting, the next event, the next responsibility or demand. If we can do enough work to fill the time and make it look as though we have accomplished something, it seems good enough. Excellence seems to require too much effort, too much time, too much inner currency. What we want is a break, some leisure, some freedom from expectation – not more pressure to excel. Then, we view a piece of incredible art, or watch an Olympic athlete, or read of someone receiving a Nobel prize, or hear of a person like Mother Teresa of Calcutta transforming lives, and we have a strange sliver of envy running through our souls. We wish we could be that focused, that we could have a job that was ‘important,’ that we could make a difference – stand out from the rest of the pack. It doesn’t take a different job or call in life. It takes a desire to make a difference where we are, with what we’ve been given, with those we interact with every day. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once commented that there’s no use going to Calcutta to serve the poor, if you cannot smile at your spouse. Excellence begins now, where you are, with the ones that share your life. How intentional can you be in making a difference there? O God, open my eyes to see my world and those who people it as the canvas upon which to paint my best work of art. These meditations by Renee Miller first appeared at explorefaith.org Please use the share button at the top to share with friends and loved ones. Thanks!
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