Excellence or Arrogance?
“And Moses was content to dwell with the man…” Exodus 2:21 KJV
“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.” Exodus 3:1 KJV
Moses had fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian (a descendant of Abraham and Keturah). It was in this land that Moses found a new home and occupation for 40 years. I’ve always been amazed at how God took Joseph from the desert to the palace and took Moses from the palace to the desert. It would be in the desert that God would find Moses at a burning bush. Yet, before the encounter with God, Moses would encounter Jethro!
In circles of Christianity, there seems to be a certain spirit of excellence. Men and women of God have entourages and circles of support by the hundreds. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers seem to display a level of great excellence. Excellence is not having a personal ministry, breaking prophetic codes, or having a discerning spirit or gift. Excellence is not having great insight of scriptural knowledge. I love ministry and ministers, but I dislike what it sometimes portrays. It seems to portray an exclusiveness or arrogance. I hate what some ministry reproduces. If that is ministry, what are you going to say to a David in the sheepcote or a Daniel just praying below his window? Excellence can be summed up in one scripture. 1 Timothy 6:6 KJV says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
Okay readers, what does this mean? Does it mean that “poverty with holiness brings joy”, or that “as long as you’re saved you will want for nothing? Does it mean that you should “crush all legitimate desires and just wait for your exit” or that you should “have nothing and smile about it because God love’s you”? Absolutely not! Ministries should be blessed. I don’t care if a ministry has little or much, it’s the spirit of that ministry that matters! A wrong “spirit” is nothing more than a weak hold that became a stronghold called “attitude”. I’ve seen small ministries that were small because of certain arrogant attitudes and at the same time I’ve seen large ministries that were very humble. This works both ways. Godliness with contentment is great gain. God looks at our attitude about “where” we are in life and ministry. Do we despise “where” we are? You’ll never cross that Jordan until you value every step in the wilderness. Excellence is having a Godly, heartfelt, good attitude about your circumstances. We unfortunately have godliness with discontentment. We are holy, but miserable.
Excellence is not seen in your works, but in your life itself. If you are a garbage man, be excellent. Whatever you do for the Lord, do it wholeheartedly. Do it with all your heart. This is not just shallow passion, but a deep sense of responsibility. Certainly hard work alone doesn’t make you excellent in God’s eyes.
The name Jethro (Moses father in law), means “Excellence”. From the river basket to Pharaoh’s palace Moses ends up slipping out one day just living it up in the pleasures of Egypt. In a moment of vengeance he kills an Egyptian supervisor for smiting his Hebrew brother. The very next day he saw two Hebrews arguing and tried to maintain the peace when one spoke up and said, “Who made you judge and ruler over us? Will you kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?” Then Moses fled and ended up at the house of Jethro (Excellence). Moses met Excellence. Now we only see Jethro at a glance in the scriptures. Actually, the first of the two most prominent times that he interacts with Moses is when Moses was running from his enemy and was directionless. This represents people that have no direction in life and just eat up time. Moses comes to the house of Excellence and suddenly, one day he is shepherding, a bush catches on fire, and the Lord tells him, “I need a deliverer and you are him”. You’ll never be used by God to deliver people on the level you would like until you get excellence into your business, worship, marriage, finances, etc. I know many who are “prophetic” but don’t balance their check book. Suddenly Moses is commissioned by God.
The next time we see Jethro on the pages of the Bible is in Exodus 18, when he makes a trip to see his son in law. Jethro rejoiced to see the great things God had done through Moses, and then rebuked him!! Jethro saw that Moses, the judicial system of Israel, was sitting to judge the people, all of the people that is. Jethro began to exhort Moses to delegate this position to well able men that they should help him bear the burden. Exodus 18: 17 KJV says, “The thing that you do is not good!” Someone with the spirit of excellence will tell you when your attitude may be the problem. I can’t tell you the number of times, God has come to me and said, “Let’s talk”. Then God would unclothe my attitude and set me free. Excellence praises you when you do well, but loves you enough to correct you when you are about to wear away. Jethro told Moses, “You can’t do this!” Immediately after this in Exodus 19, Moses talked with God face to face and received the law for Israel.
Two times that God met Moses, Jethro appeared. The moral of the story is this: God desires to use us all. Perfection wears you out, but excellence strengthens you. God has called us all to a spirit of excellence. Excellence means, “I am content with you Lord, if I never see another blessing”. If I never get this or I never get that, Lord you are my portion! That is the spirit of Excellence. Whatever you do, do it with all your might!
