Excellence

February 1, 2022

From Pastor Joe Wamack

The Robe is a 1953 movie starring Richard Burton as Marcellus, a Roman military tribune. Marcellus is the commander of the unit in charge of the crucifixion of Jesus. The movie portrays the spiritual journey Marcellus goes through and how he changes from that first encounter with the crucifixion and the robe. Marcellus wins the robe that Christ wore during the crucifixion in a dice game, but later he feels remorse and guilt over what he had done so he gives the robe away. Then he feels somehow the robe has cursed him so is determined to find it and destroy it, thinking that will take away his guilt and nightmares.

He travels from village to village to search for the robe. One time, he visits a small town, searching for the man who has the robe, and he notices a crippled woman, who is a believer in Christ, yet is always joyful and singing. He approaches her and says, “You say He could work miracles, but he left you as he found you.”

She replied, “I used to wonder about that myself. He could have healed my body and then it would have been natural for me to laugh and sing. And then I came to understand-he’d done something even better for me. He’d chosen me for his work. He left me as I am, so that all others like me might know that their misfortune needn’t deprive them of happiness within his kingdom.”

He replied, “It’s beyond all reason that anybody should think as you do.”

She replied, “If you’d only known Him, if you’d ever looked into his eyes and heard him speak…”

I love this part of the movie and find these words quite profound. Strangely enough, this scene makes me think of the word-excellence. Excellence is not always to be understood as results without imperfection. Excellence is about doing the best you can with what you have and giving it all to God to use in His service.

God uses broken people, crack pots, earthen vessels and broken situations to accomplish His will. Excellence is about taking all that you can find to use, and making something out of it. Excellence is what happens when an imperfect person gives themselves to a perfect God and is willing to risk to get excellent results. This imperfect woman from The Robe was used perfectly by God to share His love.

Today my friends trust in God to use you in a big or small way-making yourself open to His service. That is all that is asked. Excellence follows as a result. It’s not about you, it’s about Him. Blessings to you today!