- Thursday, September 18th, 2008
Monthly Message from the ALERT Cadet Major – September 2008
Gentlemen,
I’ve been thinking a lot about excellence and its opposite, mediocrity. I want to live a life full of excellence in what I say and do. I detest mediocrity in my own life. When I find myself mired in mediocrity it usually means my heart was not in the project or activity in the first place, and I was simply going through the motions. Mediocrity is not a good place to be, for anyone. Let’s dive in and see how to avoid the “curse of mediocrity” that our enemy seeks to foist upon us to render us ineffective for the Kingdom.
First, let’s be clear on what mediocrity is. Webster’s defines it as “the quality or state of being mediocre; of moderate or low quality; ordinary.” When I look at the Man Jesus Christ, He was anything but mediocre. I often talk to fathers about their sons and usually in the conversation they say he is “above average” in his (fill in the blank). For the record, by definition, 50% of the population is above the average! (For the statisticians amongst us, this implies a normal distribution; more correctly I should say 50% is above the median.) So, mediocrity is the state of being average or ordinary; these are words I usually do not want said about my family members or me. I hope you feel the same.
Second, I believe mediocrity is the absence of a drive for excellence. It is the result of not putting out the time, energy, passion, or whatever it takes to accomplish the goal. I don’t know about you, but I do not find the Scriptures teaching a mediocre lifestyle. Look at the Apostle Peter. He tried to be an average fisherman and in fact went back to fishing after he had denied Jesus during His trial and subsequent crucifixion. Jesus reminded Peter that he was no longer average and no longer a fisherman, but as the “rock” upon which the church was to be built, he was now a fisher of men! When the Holy Spirit empowered Peter, he became anything but mediocre in his speech, passion, and impact for the church. He became all that Jesus had foreseen in him. He became an excellent minister of the gospel of God and a leader. Like Peter, I know from experience that my energy combined with God’s empowerment is a powerful force for change.
Third, mediocrity comes as the default when there is no vision. Proverbs 29:18 teaches that where there is no vision (goal, objective, reason for existence) the people perish (go their own way, descend to a mediocre state). I often have young men and fathers seeking counsel cross my path. The single greatest need in their lives is a vision for what they can become and how they can be useful to impact the world for Jesus Christ. Without a reason for existing, a man of any age will simply dry up and become fruitless. Without meaningful work to do, a man dies. Just look at those men you know who have bought the lie of retirement and now live a life of carefree ease. They either become mediocre and ineffective, or they quickly find purpose in a new line of work for the kingdom. Dads, it is our job, I believe, to impart vision to our young men. If we do not have vision ourselves, then we must seek out our counselors and sharpen our own vision before seeking to impart vision to our sons and families.
Lastly, what exactly is excellence and how do I achieve it? For me, excellence is not about being the best. Rather, it is about being and utilizing 100% of what God has given to me in terms of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual resources. I will always remember Buddy, a member of our discipleship group many years ago. Buddy made his living by repairing household appliances. He could barely read and relied on his wife to keep the business books. However, his low reading ability did not impact his ability to preach the gospel. Buddy was so skilled in repairing the machines that he usually had time left over on the service call to share the gospel with the homeowner. He led hundreds to Christ, sometimes three or four in a single day. Buddy was excellent both in his chosen profession and in his ability to communicate the gospel.
If you find that you are mired in mediocrity, instead of pursuing excellence like Buddy, let me share a few items that have helped me.
- Focus on only one or two items where you have passion. There is simply not enough time to do all things well. Christ did what His Father sent Him to do. Ruthlessly cut out the activities that just steal time and that do not help you become excellent. I used to do a lot of business on the golf course and was a 12-handicap. Now, I would struggle to even break 100; golf is not my passion.
- Keep your priorities straight; Relationship with God first, wife second, children third, work fourth, ministry fifth. Ask your wife or children how you are doing on this. My current struggle is that I work with and serve with my wife, so things can get a bit mixed up at times!
- Find your 100% mark and constantly move toward it. In running this is called the maximum heart rate, which you find by doing a stress test. To increase cardiovascular fitness, experts recommend extended training at 70-80% of your maximum. The same is true of your resources and capabilities. If you are only using 50% of your resources, ask why and then remove the barrier. Keep striving to improve until you’ve reached your God-given maximum. I am serving, and I am busy, but I am not using 100% of my God-given abilities.
- If you’re stuck in mediocrity get help. Seek out a counselor with whom you can share your heart and struggles. The Scriptures teach that a wise man has many counselors; the counsel they give may conflict with each other, but it will help you to see all sides of the issue. I recently had a check-up with my pastor and a trusted Christian friend; I asked them to assist me in evaluating my life. I appreciated their straightforward counsel; their words are changing my life.
The Apostle Paul said it this way in Philippians 3:13, “but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…” He did not focus on a multitude of things, but rather, on one thing. Paul did not stay mired in mediocrity. He set aside the past, with all of its mistakes and false starts, and focused on what lies ahead. He set his sites on excellence and the upward call of Christ Jesus. May you and I do the same.
In Christ,
Major Roger D. Farr
Sep 18