“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”
-Hebrews 12:28
I'm not sure who the speaker was, but I heard a quote yesterday that went something like this: “The best way to wreck any organization is mixing high achievers with those okay with mediocrity. Using ‘We’re not perfect’ is the greatest excuse losers use for underperforming.”
It’s like the old crabs-in-a-barrel story. The mediocrity masses will always try to pull the one striving for greatness back down into their putrescence. But here's the thing about high achievers... they are gritty, tenacious, dauntless, and unyielding.
“Saying ‘We’re not perfect’ is the greatest excuse losers use for underperforming.”
The highest performing “organization” on earth is the Bride of Christ in advancing the mission of God by taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. There's no question whether or not God will achieve His objective. The book of Revelation makes it perfectly clear. The only question is whether or not we're actively participating in its coming to fruition.
The high-performing Christian calls for radical revival and reform through discipleship. That's the calling of every born-again believer and it's always met with great resistance.
Martin Luther was ostracized for making waves. Israel's prophets were often persecuted or murdered for tearing down idols. King Jesus was opposed by his own family, including his mother. He was eventually crucified for overturning the Pharisees' money tables and traditions.
...many are still completely unprepared for trials and persecution of any kind.
Despite the LORD's proclamation, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world,” opposition and rejection still suprise many Christians. Despite Scripture's declaration, “...so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know,” many are still completely unprepared for trials and persecution of any kind.
The comfortable consumers and mediocrity masses have turned the average local church into nothing more than a religious social gathering. Rather than The Church being our exclusive identity as Christ's Body & Bride, in many cases it has become nothing more than a place to go -or- a thing to do when it's perfectly convenient, safe, comfortable, desirable, appealing... like the fruit from the Tree of The Knowledge of Good & Evil. When all the conditions are just right in our personal universe... when it's for our advantage and benefit... but that's not what The Father in heaven desires. King Jesus said The Father desires those who worship in spirit and truth.
Sadly, many local churches are nothing more than a bush league sideshow with mediocre standards, mediocre preaching, mediocre worship, mediocre commitment, and mediocre ministries by half-hearted, non-committal, fair-weather fans. The average local church looks more like a Walmart than Scripture's portrait of Christ's Body & Bride.
All the mediocrity is justified by saying, “Well, nobody's perfect.” But Scripture offers up no loophole to Matthew 5:8, which states, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
How can we be perfect? King Jesus doesn't leave it a mystery. He articulates the answer clearly and explicitly in Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
God wasn’t okay with Cain’s offering (Gen 4:5). The LORD wasn't cool with Nadab and Abihu's “strange fire” (Lev 10:1-2). YAHWEH wasn't content with the nation of Israel just showing up to worship with divided hearts still serving idols (2 Ki 17:41). The Almighty doesn't hear or receive loathsome prayers from those turning their ears from hearing His voice (Pr 28:9). We can, however, rest assured that His standard of absolute perfection has never been lowered. It will always be absolute perfection, which is available in and through Christ alone.
...we've allowed ourselves to be convinced that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is perfectly content with our lukewarm mediocrity
Somewhere along the way, many Christians, many pastors, and many local churches started believing Satan’s lie that “the will of my Father who is in heaven” is for us to bring God our soggy and stale leftovers rather than our firstfruits.
Somehow, we've allowed ourselves to be convinced that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is perfectly content with our lukewarm mediocrity, when Scripture reveals, “So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!”
The truth is that, in reality, our only shot is total abandon unto Christ, indeed our absolute desperate dependency upon the Holy Spirit's divine presence to reside, abide, lead and guide us in all things for God's eternal glory.
King Jesus wasn’t interested in the shallow and superficial commitment of the mediocrity masses who wanted to forcibly make Him their puppet king (John 6:14-15). It wasn't a numbers game or a popularity contest for the LORD. He was perfectly content with The Twelve, eleven of whom He knew would eventually be high performers in their regeneration and yieldedness to the Holy Spirit.
King Jesus was never okay with mediocrity, human traditions, legalism, or hollow worship when He walked the earth two thousand years ago. Scripture confirms that He won’t be okay with any of that garbage when He returns.
Even this fallen world possesses a profound understanding regarding the incompatibility of high performers and mediocrity. They don't mix. They never have, and they never will.
Are you a high performer for Christ? King Jesus said, “No one is able to serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and he will love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and he will despise the other. You are not able to serve God and mammon.” Does your opinion, legacy, job, family, love interest, education, fitness, hobby, addiction, or anything get more of you than Christ does each day?
Do you approach each week, each day, in fact, every moment as an opportunity for Christ Jesus to reveal His glory in and through you with reverence and awe? Those are the excuse-free high-performers. They are the ones upon whom King Jesus said, “...and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”
Blessings,
Kevin M. Kelley
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