Excellence at WorkНамуна

Excellence cannot come at the expense of authenticity. Jesus’ disagreements with the Pharisees are legion, and we often paint the Pharisees with an oversimplified two-dimensional brush. Jesus is the good guy; they are the bad guys. As soon as we read the word “Pharisee,” we automatically think, “They are conniving, hypocritical, power-hungry, shallow, performative, jerks.”

But that’s not entirely fair to them or helpful for us.

The Pharisees took obedience to the Torah very seriously. They longed to see the Jewish people live in devotion to God in their everyday lives. The word "Pharisee" likely comes from the Hebrew perushim, meaning "separated ones", reflecting their desire to live in purity, distinct from both Gentile culture and impure Jewish practices.

You could say that their elaborate system of rules was put in place to help people live excellent religious lives. As experts in God’s stated laws, Pharisees put up guardrails so that they wouldn’t even get close to God’s standard. By the time that Jesus came onto the scene, the Pharisees had a web of regulations so complicated that it hindered God’s people more than it helped them. And on top of that, they did everything they could to present themselves as if they were living flawlessly, often using loopholes in their system that no one else knew.

The Pharisees reveal that excellence has a shadow side. If you are not careful, it can become an end in itself. I’m convinced that’s what happened to them. Outward appearance and performance became their priority while their authenticity slowly died inside. That’s why Jesus called them blind guides, whitewashed tombs, and hypocrites.

God calls us to work with excellence. It reflects how we think about God, is a way to love others in practical ways, and gives us credibility to share our faith. But it must be wed to a humble spirit and contrite heart.

Take a moment to consider:

• What is your relationship with excellence?
• Ask the Holy Spirit, “How aligned are my outer performance and inner self?”
• Spend some time talking to God about your desire to work with excellence and authenticity.