How Good Are You?
Does it really matter how good we are at what we do? After all, Christians are forgiven and adopted into the family of God. If He loves and accepts us, does it matter all that much how well we do our jobs?
Have you ever walked into a building, driven a car, or crossed a bridge? Have you eaten food purchased from a store or a restaurant? Have you been to a doctor or had an operation? If you can answer “yes” to any of the above, then you understand that competency matters.
None of us would cherish the thought of eating contaminated food, driving a defective car, or being operated on by a doctor who flunked out of medical school. While our identity in the eyes of God has nothing to do with job performance, the influence that we have on others is not limited to faith and character. Competency matters.
I still have memories of sitting in my high school science class and watching a video of the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge that took place in 1940. In spite of all the money invested in the bridge, a major blunder had been made in the design process. Our teenage eyes bulged wide as we saw the massive span blowing in the wind like a piece of ribbon. A little bit of ignorance can exact a steep price; it is essential that we pursue knowledge, skill, and competency in the various types of work that we perform.
When it comes to ministry, even though the stakes are high—we’re dealing with the issue of eternal salvation—we seem to have a difficult time emphasizing the importance of competence. For some strange reason, we feel that it’s okay to perform poorly in the name of God. There’s no question that God often calls people to perform tasks beyond their natural abilities, but that shouldn’t provide an excuse for failing to improve our skills.
The primary problem, it seems, is that people tend to tie their identities to their performance. We find glory in performing well and shame in falling short. It’s a dangerous practice and a primary reason we take offense when someone questions the quality of our work.
I think that we can—and should—draw a clear line between perfectionism and excellence. Perfectionism is a destructive identity issue. We boast when we feel we’ve achieved it and beat ourselves up when we think we’ve failed. But it shouldn’t really be about us. Love calls us higher, asking us us to do the very best that we can, whenever we can, for the sake of others.
Whether on the job or in the church, those who truly want to honor God—and touch the lives of others—will always seek to excel in whatever they do. They’ll pray for wisdom, read books, and attend classes, doing all they can in an effort to give God their very best.
When it comes to finding our acceptance in the eyes of God there is no need to worry about being good enough; Christ’s sacrificial work on the cross provides all that we need. But when it comes to serving God, love calls us to give Him the very best that we have to offer.
