Excellence Matters

In the previous session, we discussed how easy it can be to make an idol out of our work when we struggle with discontentment. But if we focus on allowing our work to serve God and not the other way around, we can better appreciate the moment we’re in.

In this session, J.D shows us how we should serve God through excellent work and reflect the love of Christ with those who do business with us.

Not yet part of a group? Join a Foundation Group to go through this series with like-minded entrepreneurs.

REVIEW

J.D. mentioned how some people are wary of working with Christian businesses because those businesses don’t often have the best service or level of excellence. In what ways have you seen this idea to be true or untrue? How are you striving to lead or grow your business in a way that proves this idea to be wrong?

J.D. discussed how our quality of work should reflect the fact that we are working hard to please the Lord. Why is it so crucial for Christians to do excellent work in their field? In what ways does our quality of work have a positive or negative impact on the unbelievers that surround us?

As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to want to work hard for recognition by others. But as J.D. stated, our lives ought to be lived in a way where people ask about our motivations. In what ways can working for the Lord have an impact on our desire to be recognized and praised by others? What could working for others’ recognition do to our example as a Christian?

Explore the Principles Further

Doing something with excellence means we’ve put in all possible effort to make sure that none of our work was overlooked or finished in laziness. 

Excellent work isn’t just about the outcome, but also about our abilities. God is watching us as we use our talents, skills, and abilities to do our work with purpose. In what ways does the quality of work you’ve done recently reflect the God you serve? What are some habits you can implement to ensure that you’re always working for God and not the praise of others?

When God created the earth, he did it with us in mind—he loved us enough to create good things that we could use and develop. In the same way, what we create should be good and not poorly done. Considering how our work is a way of loving and serving others well, what could lazy work say about our heart toward God? Toward others?

If we work as unto the Lord, then we should do our work with excellence. Our work is an offering to God and should therefore be our best. If our decisions as workers impact our employees, vendors, or customers, how much more important is it that we ensure we’re also making decisions in a way that God would approve?

How can you encourage an employee, business partner, or co-worker to be excellent in all that they do this week?

Apply What You’ve Learned 

Memorize: Memorize Colossians 3:23–24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Write it Down: Take note of the way your employees or the people you work with do their job with excellence—note if they’re great at planning, they pay attention to detail, they are creative, etc. Take what you write down and give it to them as encouragement or consider commending them in front of co-workers to help give them a sense of what excellence looks like.

Interact: As you reflect on the statistics J.D. gave about the mental and emotional toll many entrepreneurs face, interact with fellow employees or business partners this week and ask about their mental health. Commit to pray for each other.

Pray: Pray and ask God to help you set the tone in your organization. Ask him to help you be a consistent example among the other employees on how excellent work can greatly impact people.

Act Differently: Be a student of excellence across other companies in your industry or marketplace. Strive for beauty and excellence in your work and in others. Recognize it when you see it knowing that excellence recognized will lead to more excellence.