Excellence
"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." Colossians 3:23-24
Excellence is one of our core values at Founders Advisors and one of my deepest personal convictions. But I want to be clear from the start: the excellence I am talking about is not perfectionism, and it is not the relentless striving that leaves leaders depleted and teams exhausted. The excellence I am talking about flows from the inside out; it’s a spirit. And like so many things in the Kingdom, it is a byproduct of our relationship with Christ rather than something we manufacture in our own strength.
Last week Pastor Chris Hodges (PC) shared a powerful message that really resonated with me. You can watch the message by clicking on this link: PC Message on excellence. He pointed to Daniel, from the book of Daniel in the bible, a man who served in a culture that did not share his values and who neither compromised nor retreated. Daniel simply worked with such an excellent spirit that the king wanted to give him more authority and responsibility. He was different without being overly difficult. That is the standard I desire for myself, my team, and for every leader in our Abide and Lead community to carry into their businesses and lives this week.
Three Principles of Kingdom Excellence
Excellence Flows from Who We Serve: The most important thing I can say about excellence is this: it is not primarily about results, although results really matter, especially in business. It is more about our heart motivation. The leader who pursues excellence to build a reputation or validate their own worth will eventually run dry. But the leader who pursues excellence as an act of worship, honoring the God who created all things well and called them very good, has an inexhaustible source of motivation that is not dependent on outcomes or recognition. Colossians 3:23 is the clearest biblical statement of this principle. Work with all your heart as working for the Lord. When that is our motivation, excellence becomes not a burden we carry, but a gift we give to God first and to every person our work touches. PC framed it simply and powerfully: excellence is a form of honor. It never asks what is the least I can bring. It always asks what the best I can bring is. That conviction should shape how we approach every client interaction, every team meeting, and every deliverable we produce. "He has done everything well" Mark 7:37.
Excellence Is a Thousand Small Things Done Consistently: Excellence is almost never one big thing. It is a thousand little things done well over time. It is the follow-up sent before the client has to ask. It is the meeting that starts on time and ends with clarity. It is the outcomes that exceed expectations because that is simply who we are. This is how Chick-fil-A built one of the most beloved brands in America. Not through one grand gesture but through ten thousand small interactions where every customer was made to feel genuinely valued and cared for. That is the Gold Standard we are pursuing at Founders, achieved the same way, through a culture where every person brings their best to the small things because they understand those small things are acts of worship. Daniel distinguished himself not through one heroic moment but through a consistent pattern of excellent work that was simply undeniable over time. Meeting expectations builds trust. Exceeding them builds influence. And influence opens the door for the Gospel. "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much" Luke 16:10.
Excellence in the Marketplace Is Our Most Powerful Witness: The way we work is part of our witness. When we conduct our businesses with excellence and integrity, the world around us cannot help but take notice. We don’t need a bible verse on our signature line or website; we need an excellent spirit that is undeniable in everything we do. Daniel served in a pagan culture that did not share his values and became so excellent in his work that he began to influence all those around him; even his enemies took notice. That is the kind of marketplace witness I want for Founders Advisors, Abide & Lead, and everything I am associated with. And it is the witness every leader in our community can build right where they are planted. Excellence is not a personality type. It is a biblical value available to every believer willing to bring their best as an act of worship. We go the second mile not so people notice us but so they might notice Him. "In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" Matthew 5:16.
We serve a God of excellence who created all things well. As His sons and daughters, we are called to carry that same spirit into every area of our lives and leadership, not to earn His approval but because we already have it and because the way we work is one of the most powerful ways we reflect His character to a watching world. Living and working with excellence glorifies our Father in heaven.
Challenge Question: Where in your work or leadership are you settling for good enough when God is calling you to excellence? What is one small thing you could do this week before anyone asks and beyond what is expected that reflects the excellent spirit of Daniel and honors the God you serve?
Prayer: Father, thank You for being a God of excellence who created all things well and calls us to reflect Your character in everything we do. Forgive us for the times we have settled for average when You called us to excellence. Fill us with Your spirit of excellence, not so we can build our own reputations, but so our work becomes a form of worship and a witness to Your goodness. May everything we build, every client we serve, and every team member we lead feel the difference that comes from working wholeheartedly for You. In Jesus name, Amen.
Excellence is not about being the best. It is about bringing your best every day, in everything, for an audience of One. Have a great week!