Contributing Writer: Temi Michael-O
What makes us righteous is not what we do to earn God’s love. Rather, we are righteous because we respond to God’s love by keeping his commandments (John 14:15). As we choose the ways of an excellent God, we become people of excellence and a guide for those around us.
To be more excellent means one is a standard for others.
Proverbs 12:26 reminds me of Daniel in the old testament. Daniel was a standard for others. Daniel 6:3 (KJV) says, “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.” The same spirit of excellence is in every believer who has received the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2), and we are empowered to operate in excellence as we lean on the Holy Spirit for help in our endeavors.
When we choose God’s way of doing things, we will ultimately become a standard of excellence. It may be difficult initially; however, truth wins in the end.
We do not like to think of ourselves as being wicked. Perhaps, you were already thinking about someone who can be classified as “wicked”. When we turn away from God’s way of doing things, an act of unbelief, we have chosen the way of the wicked (Hebrews 3:12).
I pray that our hearts will always turn to God’s way of doing things.
Today, ponder and declare this truth: I have the Spirit of excellence.