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You’re Called To Have A Spirit Of Excellence

It may be a challenge to transport yourself back in time some 3,000 years, but put your imagination to work. Envision yourself as part of the Queen of Sheba’s camel caravan bearing gold, jewels, and expensive spices as it neared its destination: Israel. It must not have been an easy trip, but it started with what she had heard about Solomon. In that long-ago day and time, neither travel nor communication flowed as easily as it does in our modern, instantaneous, always-connected era.

Such a trip could mean delays from sandstorms, circling the wagons to protect against enemy threats, or servants needing attention due to extreme dehydration. The potential challenges facing a caravan plowing its way through the desert? Daunting, to say the least. Yet when word came to the Queen of Sheba that there was no greater or more magnificent city within traveling distance than Jerusalem—and no man with greater wisdom than Solomon—she paid close attention. The traveling inconveniences she might encounter were going to be worth making it to her destination. She had a clear objective: to see both this promised city of unfathomable riches and to learn more about the mighty King Solomon.

Much can be learned about the spirit of excellence from this biblical story. Think about it. The Queen of Sheba came to visit King Solomon solely based on what she heard about him. How incredible must his kingdom have been for stories of its excellence to travel all the way from Israel to Ethiopia, with no 21st century technology?!

Now you might find yourself wondering, “What does the story of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba have to do with me?” Well, to be honest, everything. God has created within all of us a spirit of excellence. For too long, excellence has gotten a bad reputation because it’s become synonymous with perfection. It’s not. Excellence is simply doing the best you can with what you’ve been given. Just as God is excellent in everything He does and creates; so we are called to do and create everything with a level of excellence.

The question is: Are you embracing your God-given spirit of excellence?