10/29/2026
Wesley United Methodist Church - Columbia, SC
Pursue excellence
Thursday, October 29
“Approve the things that are excellent.” Php 1:10 NKJV
A number of years ago, an insurance company ran an advertisement that said: “There was once a man who loved nature with such a deep and moving love that she told him one of her secrets. She gave him the power to create new plants. The man, whose name was Luther Burbank…saw every plant as a child. It had its own face, its own promise, its own unique touch of genius and character. And if that promise were tended and encouraged, the plant would grow more useful and beautiful each year. Luther Burbank made potatoes grow larger, wider, and more delicious than they had ever been. He taught the cactus of the desert to throw away its spines so that the cattle could fatten upon it, and made the blackberry shed its thorns so it would not cut the fingers of those who picked it to make jam and pies. For him, the plum grew without pips, and strawberries ripened all year…He left the earth covered with flowers and fruits that no one had ever attempted to grow before. And all because he knew a secret. He knew that everything that lives has the power to become greater.” Notice how Paul prayed for the Philippian believers: “This I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent” (vv. 9-10 NKJV). Dr. John Maxwell says, “Passion is the first step to achievement…The stronger your fire, the greater your desire—and the greater your potential.” So the word for you today is—when it comes to your personal growth, your job, and your relationships, pursue excellence.
