City Life Starter

Written by Paul Lane

The Word

^“16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. ¹⁷ And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. ¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.”

Matthew 25:16-19

Reflection

I agree with Pastor Chris, that using a word to define itself is bad form.  But because so many people do it to explain the term excellence, it implies that there is something very basic about it.  Perhaps the expression, “I’ll know it when I see it” applies here.

Growing up, one of my chores was to clean the bathroom, a task that I could do in 20 minutes if my mind were set to it.  But usually, it would take me three or four hours.  I am not joking here, hours.  My mother would not let me out of the bathroom until it was clean.  She was a nurse, so you know the standard I had to meet.  Oh, I would play with the water. I would make bubbles with the soap.  I would do countless experiments with anything I could find in the bathroom.  But when the task was done, the bathroom would be spotless.

Later in life, I discovered that I could get the bathroom just as clean in 15-20 minutes because I could keep my mind on task to get it done.  I think as an adult it became a task that would give me something, a clean bathroom, rather than a task that I was obligated to do in servitude.  I think this is consistent with Tom Peter’s concept of care for determining excellence.  If you care about the results, you will do a much better job.

In the movie “Chariots of Fire,” Eric Liddell’s father says that you can praise God by peeling a potato, if you peel it to perfection.  I think he is talking about something that happens in the mind and in the spirit.  When one becomes so acquainted with mind, body, knife, and potato so well that the task of peeling the potato is an art, the face of God shows down and says, “well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Application

Excellence seems to start with small and insignificant things.  Start by making your bed.

Prayer

I know that You made us to be people who take chances and explore your creation and do Your will.  I pray that you give me the grace to overcome my fears and to pursue your call on my live with energy and excitement.  I pray also for the grace to be faithful in all things both big and small, that excellence may be a byword when Your people are spoken of.  And I pray that you will be done in my life on earth as it is in Heaven. 

Amen.