NIV Once-A-Day Bible for MenSample

GIVING YOUR BEST

People living significant lives pursue excellence. They lead their organizations, their families, their businesses, and, in fact, their very lives, striving for their best. Whether they want to win games, make an impact on their children, or win their share of the market, the thread of excellence runs through the fabric of their lives.
Jesus was committed to excellence. The New Testament gospel writer Mark reminds us that God gave his very best — ​his Son. And his Son gave his very best — ​his life. His followers should do no less. Less than our best is inadequate when we consider the fact that God has given us his very best. In view of all the Lord has done for us, less than our best is less than adequate.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry.” Whatever our role, our position, our organization, or our lot in life, we should strive for the best. The measure of our success should be attached not to our particular career or what we earn, but on our character and what we give.
True champions are more willing to give than to get. They go the extra mile. They move beyond expectations. They strive for higher standards.
Excellence does not mean being the best, but being your best. Understanding that distinction makes all the difference in the world. 

Jesus, help me to give my very best today . . .