Ordinary not mediocre

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
(1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

 In chapter 2 of Michael Horton's Ordinary, he tackles the idea of excellence. Being ordinary does not mean being mediocre. He says that as the church and as Christians we need to strive for excellence. But that excellence bears no resemblance to the world's call for excellence. He uses the example of the building of the Cologne Cathedral. Begun in 1248, completed according to the original plan in 1880, 632 years, numerous generations. "Its completion depended on the patient skill of countless individuals who knew they would probably never see the ribbon-cutting ceremony." (p.32) That is what Horton calls the church to. Excellence based on a higher purpose, but also excellence founded in community.

It is these words that hit me the hardest. I can be tempted to go it alone, to figure it out by myself, to turn to my own favourite issues and theological writers. Horton writes,

We need more churches where the Spirit is immersing sinners into Christ day by day, a living communion of the saints, where we cannot simply jump to our favorite chapter or Google our momentary interest. (p.35)

Excellence in the church is based on accountability. That accountability starts with our relationship with God, as shown in the opening text (whatever you do, do all to the glory of God). But it also leads us to those fruits of the Spirit which St. Paul tells us we need in community. "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." (Galatians 5:22) It is these fruits that ground our excellence, and keeps us from the twin evils of censoriousness (conservative) and anything goes (liberal). It keeps us from "restless innovation as well as sleepy traditionalism." (p.31)

So what does that mean. It means that I put my ambition and my ego on hold, not for the greater good, but for God's good. And when that becomes what you care about, your excellence can be seen in any number of ways, even the most ordinary. And we are given a new way of viewing the world, knowing we are not our own. As the first question and answer of the Heidelberg Catechism puts it,

Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own
but belong—
body and soul,
in life and in death—

to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,
and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.
He also watches over me in such a way
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven;
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him,
Christ, by his Holy Spirit,
assures me of eternal life
and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready
from now on to live for him.

 Let us be"wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him." In ordinary, excellent ways.