“Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom” (Daniel 6:3 NIV).
We first meet Daniel as a teenager who refused to compromise his convictions. By chapter 6, he is an older man, but he still follows God wholeheartedly.
Excellence is not perfection. Perfection is impossible—and often paralyzing. Excellence is simply offering our best with the gifts, knowledge, and resources we have today.
“If a man is called to be street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
If you know me, you know I am constantly encouraging speakers to speak without notes, because I know the connection you make with your audience when you can look them in the eye without a podium barrier between you. I want that experience for you. Yet many speakers hesitate. Last week someone asked, “What if I forget what I want to say?” I know the panic that thought brings. But remember excellence is not perfection. How do you overcome the fear? Start with one section of your next presentation. Do it without notes. Then add a little more each time you speak.
Excellence is being better today than you were yesterday.
Every writer and speaker faces the same temptation. We want to be finished. We want to send the manuscript, deliver the speech, post the article, upload the video, and move on to the next project. Deadlines loom. Exhaustion wins. And sometimes, we convince ourselves, “It’s good enough.”
But excellence asks, “Is it your best?”
In your hands are the precious words God has given you. The exact words someone needs for encouragement or just the right motivation to make an important decision. Our words and stories bring hope, healing, laughter, conviction, and change. Friends, that is a responsibility that deserves excellence.
What if excellence means rewriting a paragraph one more time because clarity matters or practicing a presentation until the transitions feel natural. Excellence means double checking facts, polishing illustrations and removing unnecessary clutter.
A Gift
Excellence is a gift we give to our audience—the ones we serve. We don’t have to be the most talented but if we read widely, seek feedback, and become life-long learners, we will develop to our fullest and most excellent best. The Bible says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV). It is not for applause, not for recognition, not for awards, but because our work matters.
Love
Excellence is an act of love. Your audiences don’t need more noise, they need Jesus. Before you press “send” on the keyboard or before you step on the stage ask yourself, “Have I loved my audience or my reader enough to give them my best? ”The answer reframes excellence from performance to service.
Daniel’s excellence wasn’t talent alone. It was years of faithfully following God with his whole heart. Excellence grows the same way today—one faithful step at a time.
Question: Daniel’s excellence wasn’t built in a single moment; it grew from years of quiet, faithful obedience to God long before anyone was watching. Who in your life models that kind of quiet, sustained excellence, and what have you learned from watching him/her?
About Karen Porter
Karen Porter is an international retreat and seminar speaker and a successful businesswoman. She is the author of ten books including If You Give a Girl a Giant. She and her husband, George, own Bold Vision Books, a traditional Christian publishing company. Karen is a coach of communicators in both writing and speaking and serves on numerous boards of national ministries. To connect with Karen, go to https://karenporter.com/.
So good, Karen. Thank you
I needed this today!
When I read the words, “Daniel’s excellence wasn’t built in a single moment; it grew from years of quiet, faithful obedience to God long before anyone was watching,” I immediately thought of my grandmother, Nettie Thomas. She was born in 1903. I grew up living next door to my grandparents and witnessed firsthand that kind of quiet, sustainable, deep love for the Lord and His Word. One of the things I admired most about her was her ability to memorize Scripture. Those verses were not simply stored in her mind; they were woven into her heart and became part of who she was, especially during the last decade of her life, when she lost her sight to read God’s Word. It was hidden in her heart.
As I have walked through my own waiting room seasons, especially this recent health crisis, I think about the legacy she left with me. When brain fog made simple things feel difficult, I found myself challenged to not just memorize Scripture with my mind, but to hide it in my heart. My grandmother taught me that the quiet, faithful moments of seeking God are never wasted. They become the foundation we lean on when life brings unexpected challenges.
Karen, thank you for this post and for asking the question. It was good to remember how often God has been faithful in my life.
“Excellence is an act love”
In a recent conversation, I heard myself say that I love the women who resonate with my message.
Your words remind me to be satisfied with what I offer when it passes the measure of excellence test. Knowing that I did my best to share what God has stirred inside me.
Karen,
Thank you for encouraging me to take the next faithful step.