Early in my church experience, I felt entertained by some of the quartet songs of Christian collegians, songs related to biblical scenes. A favorite was the singing of Dry Bones, inspired by Ezekiel’s prophecy, chapter 37, in which the head bone connected to the neck bone – all the way down to the ankle bone connected to the foot bone. Then the song moved back up to the head bone, and to the word of the Lord. Another favorite was the Hornet Song that carried the line: He did not compel them to go ‘gainst their will, but he just made them willing to go. This was a humorous approach to one of the plagues, so onerous that no matter how they may have felt about leaving home, they wanted to escape the plague. What motives guide us in self?
How do we get moving to do the right thing, or the better thing than we are doing? One serious approach to the matter is to examine our ideals, and determine: what are the best ways to achieve them? Decide on the direction, perhaps cast it in a slogan of sorts, pray about it, and set about getting it done. This requires energy, vision, and a half dozen or so factors to assure success. It was found that some companies are effective, long lasting, profitable, and needed by society partly because they were born in vision, not only for the products they made, but for the thought and character of their people (workers) related to the businesses. Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M) is constant about innovation; Nordstrom accents customer service to the Nth degree; Proctor and Gamble (P & G) pushes strongly for product excellence; and, HP (Hewlett and Packard) holds for respect for the individual. When a CEO violated the standard at HP, he was summarily fired. At this writing the company is trying to recover from several failures in the management team. It is likely that the Board did not give enough time to recruits so as to protect the high standard set at the beginning, by the founders. I was once invited by a major group to participate in a program honoring David Packard for his high standard in setting a guiding force for the company and its people. Now, decades later, successors must learn how idealism works, and make it work. For now the company is working to upgrade, to recover something of its worth on the stock market. Many stories of government, business, education, even religion based in function on some direction in righteousness, have faced a decline in the idealism that gave them life, direction and practical success at the beginning and for some years after. About thirty years ago I was invited for a long talk with the founder of Chick fil A, and was impressed then (and continuing to his death) that he used firm ideals in his thriving business.
Without excuses there must be an upward move that makes one feel that he or she is doing something that will meet for success in one’s own eyes, in the world, and to the mind of God. This morning on the news there was an extensive report of a home that was carefully examined, all upgrades made, and declared to be perfect for occupancy. Representatives from eight companies were invited in to evaluate any need for correction for any mold or rot that may be found. Five of the eight found needs that would cost from $1,000.00 to nearly $11,000.00 to correct. Not only was the dishonesty of these regular, law abiding professionals, a crime, but the sense of doubt and mistrust given to those who followed the events became a matter to be treated as inhumane, a spiritual assault on the meaning of respect for the individual and the righteousness (in this case, honesty) that should adorn society. Honesty ought to be standard motivation for what is done. God expects the best of us, and that begins with discovery of where we are and a program for advancement. Excellence is pressed on Christians and the church by the Apostle Paul. (Note especially the Philippian Letter.) We can, if we advance, want to do what we ought to do, and be disappointed if we do not measure up to adopted standards. The best among us give a little more, which may qualify for some sacrifice. Shoddy was a word coined in the 19th Century for the quality of work given by persons who didn’t care. I have seen some of their work and deplore it. It is seldom understood that there is zeal that makes more of us than even God expects, more than sacrifice. That preoccupation is available to draw the best part of what we can be. It is not for the faint hearted, certainly never for the hypocrite. (Psalm 69:9) The secret is to want to give our best. What is the quality of my person? *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020