C.S. Lewis On Excellence
Paul showed me this quote the other day. I think it captures the heart of why I am passionate about excellence in our ministry (our music, our Web site, our promotions, our speaking, everything…).
“‘Great works’ (of art) and ‘good works’ (of charity) had better also be good work. Let choirs sing well or not all. Otherwise we merely confirm the majority in their conviction that the world of Business, which does with such efficiency so much that never really needed doing, is the real, the adult, and the practical world; and that all this ‘culture’ and all this ‘religion’ (horrid words both) are essentially marginal, amateurish, and rather effeminate activities.”
C.S. Lewis, “Good Work and Good Works” from (The World’s Last Night, and other essays).
Matt Redman has a post on his blog along a similar line, with a great insight: “excellence is often the fruit of endurance“. Keeping at something until you get it right.
Good stuff.
I agree that our God is worthy of our best and not our leftovers. (Malachi 1)
But if all you have is leftovers and yet you offer them with a whole heart, God will warmly recieve your gift(s) (Hebrews 10:19-22).