More than Mediocrity

Mediocrity comes from the Latin “medius” meaning middle, and “ocris” meaning rugged mountain. Literally translated it means to settle halfway to the summit of a difficult mountain. Mediocrity is a compromise of one’s abilities and potential. It’s the urge to stop short instead of pursuing excellence. Mediocrity will only take you halfway to your destination and will always leave you half of the person you were created to be.

            None of us were created by God to be mediocre. Mediocrity is not a Christian ethic. Consider for a moment Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. There is nothing mediocre about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He had to walk the hardest path and traverse the toughest route. The burdens He had to bear were immeasurable and the pain he felt was excruciating while He suffered for the sins of the entire world. If anyone had the reason or right to stop short, it was Jesus. Who would have blamed Him? But His mission was not one of mediocrity. He didn't just go halfway up His mountain. Rather He marched to the top of that old hill called Golgatha and He hung on that old rugged cross til at last He could declare, "It is finished!". Do you remember the words of that precious hymn?

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
And I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown

            If this is the example of our savior, then we must reflect it too. Don't settle for mediocrity. Don't just go halfway up the mountain. Carry your cross and follow Jesus. Keep going and finish your God-given task until you, like Jesus, can say, "It is finished". You were made for more than mediocrity.

Mud

He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. - Psalm 40:2 NLT

            Several years ago, our neighbors had an outdoor summer party and one of their activities included mud volleyball. Our friends' dad used some of his farming equipment to dig a regulation sized pit and pond water to create the court. We played for hours and had a blast.

            One thing we found out very during the game was that it was difficult to move quickly. Standing still for any length of time made your feet sink into the mud. So when the ball came toward you, it was hard to move to the ball. Also, the mud was so slick, we fell a lot. As you can imagine, we were all a huge mess when the game was over and many went down to the lake afterwards to clean off in the water before going home.

            This memory reminds me of today's verse in Psalm 40:2, "He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along."

            Our sinful lives before Christ may be compared to a mud pit. Our feet are trapped, making our spiritual walk difficult. We get stuck in our mire, lose our footing and become spiritually filthy. But thank God, He has the power to pull us out of the pit we create for ourselves, clean our filthy lives, and put our feet on solid ground!

            Have you allowed Him to pull your life out of the mud? Today is your day to be clean before we it's time to go to our eternal Home!

Confidence in Conflict

In 2019, Cori Gauff became the youngest tennis player since 1991 to win in the first round of the ladies’ singles at Wimbledon. Imagine being 15 and playing on such a grand stage. Now imagine playing that match against your very own childhood hero, Venus Williams.

            What do you do during times of uncertainty and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight? What about when the task ahead of you seems greater than you feel you are equipped to handle?

            This reminds me of the story of David and Goliath. Anyone on the outside looking in at this match would’ve deemed this an unfair fight. David, the young shepherd boy, versus Goliath, the Philistine Giant. But David knew that his God was in control and if he won, it would be God’s victory. He declined Saul’s offer to use his armor and went forth with only his sling and stones.

So again, I ask, “How can you face uncertainty, or even intimidating situations, with confidence?”

            In an interview after her win, Cori Gauff was asked, “How did you stay so composed during the match?” She answered that she had to keep reminding herself that even though the court and the stands were much bigger than she was used to, the lines on the court were exactly the same.

Here are some lessons we can learn from our two stories.

#1. When everything around you seems uncertain, focus on the One who doesn’t change.

            Just like studying the lines on the court helped keep Cori grounded during her historic match, there is comfort and security in knowing that God’s never-changing and His promises in the Bible are valid for us today too. This can give us confidence to face the most intimidating circumstance.

#2. When you feel like you are in over your head, trust that God called the right person for the job!

            Slaying Goliath was a task that God had specifically called David for. He couldn’t go about it Saul’s way. Saul tried to give him the appearance of a seasoned warrior, but David knew he would be more successful if he played to his own strengths.

If you are struggling to find peace in the uncertainty, hold onto the Changeless One, rest in His promises, and trust that He has equipped you to face any giant that may come against you.

Tongue Control

If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. - James 1:26 NLT

            Several years ago I had oral surgery to have my wisdom teeth removed. I was not put out for the surgery, I was given novacane to deaden the feeling in my mouth while the surgeon removed the teeth

            After the surgery, it took a couple of hours to regain feeling in my mouth. My lips and tongue had no feeling at all, which made it difficult to talk and be understood. I had no physical control of my tongue! I was glad when the novacane wore off, although it did bring me pain for quite a while when I began to feel the effects of what the novacane was suppressing.

            I am reminded of today's verse in James 1:26, "If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless."

            As believers, we should work to control our tongue. Our words have a lot of power, which can be used for good or bad. When we allow our tongues to be out of control, we may not feel it right away but we (and many times others) will eventually feel the pain of our actions. We should be intentional and conscious about our words and how they will effect others as well as our witness as believers.

How is your tongue control?