Mediocrity vs Excellence

“But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 NLT

If excellence is 10/10 and failure is 1/10, then mediocrity is 5/10, meaning not too good and not too bad. For many years I felt I lived a life of mediocrity. How did I come to that conclusion? In school, I was a “B” student, neither excelling nor failing. As a young adult, I held jobs that paid above minimum wage but far below the top wage earners in the company. As a young mother, I watched my friends live in fancier homes, go on expensive holidays and buy the best foot-ware for their children. Do not misunderstand me, poverty was not knocking at our door, for, as a single income family, we managed, but some days I thought it was a mediocre existence. (Those feelings were probably exaggerated by, or caused by, my bouts with depression.) In short, I thought that living a life of excellence meant having the best things and being successful in the eyes of the world. Even after I recommitted my life to Jesus at mid-life, I searched for Christian books and practices that would lead me to “Christian excellence.” I wanted to succeed as a Christian from the world’s point of view. My thought was that Christians who lived above mediocrity were at the top of their earthly professions, lived in expensive homes, and took far-away vacations. How could I “soar on eagles’ wings” for God and break out of that zone of mediocrity?

Recently I picked up the book called, “Living Above the Level of Mediocrity” by Charles Swindoll – again, in hopes of finding that magic formula for excellence! Even before finishing the book, God showed me that I am already on the path to living a life of excellence according to His way! One of Swindoll's key points is that soaring above mediocrity means living from the perspective of Another Kingdom: surrendering my goals for God’s goals; giving rather than receiving; looking from God’s divine perspective not my earthly limited one; admitting weakness in order to be strengthened; and other such odd mentalities compared to society’s secular expectations.

Through this book with its many Scripture references and the Holy Spirit working in me through my own Bible study and prayer, I am slowly redefining my views of mediocrity and excellence. Now, I see mediocrity is a result of only half-heartedly serving God but excellence occurs when whole-heartedly turning all areas of one’s life over to Him. By waiting upon the Lord, as the verse in Isaiah says, we will receive strength, ability and direction to carry out His tasks and to achieve His purposes. In that way, we will soar like eagles and God’s excellence will result!