Aim for Mediocrity? Really?

Now in this post, am I speaking of stressing yourself out with selfish ambition and being the best whatever in the whole world? Uh, no. I'm, as always, talking about being led by God in His way of excellence and not settling for less. Of being the best you that He created. And there is NO crazy-stressful-gotta-keep-up anything about that. None. Zip. Nada.

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So I read a (went-viral) blog post where the author wrote eloquently about her desire  to be mediocre and forget all about striving for excellence or making her life count. Yikes!

Oh, my head (and the room) spun and I turned a sickly shade of greeny-purple.

Seek mediocrity? Seriously?

Mediocre:

1.) of only ordinary or average quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate.

2.)  not satisfactory; poor; inferior.

No thank-you, lady. Ol' Debra gets itchy, something's-wrong-but-what? inside her spirit when she goes acting all mediocre.

But oh! The article sounded so sensible, so freeing and right in some parts (you might say).

Whatever. 

No one will ever convince me that I should aim for mediocrity regarding the way I think, keep house or live these few short years on Earth. 

Now, if you want to arrive in Heaven having lived an average, neither good nor bad, barely adequate life, well, ok. Go for it.

Yet it all sounds too horrifying to me. Too much like an excuse to remain 'in the bud', in one stagnant spot physically, emotionally forever--and call it Good.

No, personally, I need challenges, a hand to yank me up from this average pool where I sometimes drift, as if asleep. I crave God's nudgings to behave better next time: to be kinder, work harder, set my sloppy attitude upon the street. And I need the inspiration via books or film or just plain watching  people of excellence and the different, finer choices they make.

We're all placed here, in fact, with a huge potential 'to spur one another on to love and good deeds' (Hebrews 10:24). And if you ever catch me here urging you, instead, to be mediocre? You may, well, not shoot me exactly, but please do call me out on it, ok?

Thanks.

"An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels."   ... Proverbs 31:10

"But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”   ... Luke 21:36


"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." 

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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There are even second and third similar books available.

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Want to read more Bible verses regarding excellence? (These are so convicting, inspiring.) Go here.


Or for verses regarding 'the brother of mediocrity' known as 'laziness,' go here.

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

― Anais Nin

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How tragic, how final, to reach Heaven and think, "God had more for me to do and be. But I chose something less. Something safer, easier and ultimately, sadder."


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"Walk ... with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love." ... Ephesians 4:2