Daniel 6:1-3
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
The spirit of excellence will aways cause you to excel.
Daniel was a Hebrew in exile by the Babylonian kingdom; a kingdom that was hostile to his faith. Yet, Daniel remained true to his convictions.
“Daniel” means ‘God has judged’.
The world’s excellence is always based on comparison and competition. Biblical excellence is always based on character and conduct.
Our purpose in life is to bring God glory. This happens when His will, or dominion, is carried out on earth, His domain. (Hence- “Kingdom”: The King’s domain.)
If you live a “results-based” life, it caters to a mindset of jealousy and selfishness. We are not called to be result-minded. God has called us to be reason-minded.
Matthew 5 is manifest of the ways of the Kingdom of God. It defines the culture of heaven.
Jesus told us to pray for God’s will to be done in our lives. And wherever you put Jesus, He takes dominion. Even when they tried to seal Him in a grave after His crucifixion, He took dominion over death.
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
To be “poor in spirit” means that you have no pride. ‘Poor’ here is defined as ‘beggar’. We must be beggars in spirit, with no pride in us, when we go to God. He come to Him humbly.
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Our lives are meant to bring God glory. The results in our lives should always point to the reason, God. We exist to bring Him glory. He will manifest His will in our lives, and lavish His goodness on us, for His glory. We should always point the praise and honor back to Him.
Comparison is not of God, because when you compare you compete. And when you compete, you divide. God has not called us to comparison, competition or division. Comparison and competition lead to jealousy. The Bible says that where there is jealousy, there is every evil work. Jealousy causes you to believe that other people’s success cost you something.
Do not judge your life by the life of another. God may not have called you to do what they do. The only model we should compare ourselves to is Jesus and the Word of God.
True Biblical excellence can never be based on comparison. What if you didn’t reach your full God-ordained potential because you thought that as long as you did better than the next guy, you’ve done good enough? Who made that guy the model? Jesus, the Word, should be our only model for comparison.
Luke 11:14-20
And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
There will be some people who see your excellence and try to discredit you. They might see that their own ladder doesn’t reach as high, so they will try to knock your’s out from under you. Jesus is your defense.
They tried to discredit Jesus’ miracles by saying that He was getting his power from the devil. Jesus basically told them, “you’re so busy judging the results of what I’m doing that you’re not even stopping to consider that there may be a reason. If I can point with the finger of God, and you see the results, you better know there is a reason” (Paraphrased).
Look past the results and see the reason. If you are believing God for big things, all He has to do is point at that thing! He has all authority. He will show results in your life for the reason of bringing Himself glory.
Don’t let yourself fall into the trap of comparison. Instead long to see God glorified in your life.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 10:17
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.