what’s your standard?

Originally published on June 14, 2018

Excellence is my standard.

When I inquired about a position at my current place of employment, I remember being wowed by the look of the place. I knew nothing about the facility or the services, but I knew that I wanted to work there because it looked “fancy.” Graduation money was running quite thin, so I figured I needed to get a job quick if I wanted to sustain my minimal bills. The days of "Mommy/Daddy can I have X for Y.."were definitely over.

Approximately 2 weeks later, I went in for my interview. I answered every question professionally and remembered everything that I was taught in school (and from my mama) about interviewing. The interview went smoothly and I was hired on the spot! I left the interview excited and floored at what my hourly rate of pay was going to be. It was my highest rate of pay to date. Ya girl was ecstatic.

For the next 8 months, I made and learned from every mistake. After being stretched enough, got comfortable in my position. Around 3 months ago, during my break one day, my manager came up to me and expressed how pleased she and the management team were in my work and that she wanted to offer me a raise. To whom much is given, much is required. I gracefully thanked her and accepted the offer.

A month and a half later, a former coworker of mine reached out to me about an opening at another company (a competitor of my current place of employment). The competitor was willing to offer a higher rate of pay for the same position if I decided to apply. I’ve always been taught to take some time to think and pray about a decision in order to make a sound one. I thought about it, prayed about it, then told another coworker about the opportunity. Later that night, I was informed that my job was willing to match the competitors rate of pay in order to keep me, hence another raise.

If I’ve learned anything from this situation, it’s that if I make excellence my standard and do everything that I can to obtain that standard at all times, then it will be honored. I personally believe that my work ethic is directly attributed to working for the kingdom of God. God is excellent. While I am nothing near perfect, I make it my business to do excellent work. This means while other coworkers are laughing at something they saw on Instagram, I’m helping to get things done for the betterment of the company, or when I notice that things are going ary, I take part in making sure that it gets resolved to completion. I don’t say or think “that’s above my paygrade.” Instead, I do whatever’s in my control to “work above my paygrade” efficiently. I believe that because of this, God chose to honor me with two pay raises in less than year. I didn’t ask for it. I work for the kingdom of God, in excellence, through my job.

I challenge you to do the same. God is a God of increase. He wants to see His children do things, like He did, in excellence and honor as much as possible. Psalms 75 talks about how God is the judge. It is God who gives promotion and exaltation, not man. So the next time you chose to put work into anything, remember that your Dad wants you to look just like Him, excellent. The increase or promotion, whether mental, physical, and/or emotional, is coming in God’s timing, not your own. Keep being excellent in Christ!

#Excellence #WorkingForChrist #Christianblogger #Jobs #workethic