My father always told me, if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.

Colin Powell put it like this, “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters.

Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.”

The prevailing attitude of our times seems to be, do the least you can to get by and not get fired. In most companies if a manager directs an employee to pick up a piece of trash on the sales floor, they will comply.

The manager can later watch that same employee on the surveillance camera walk by trash all day if no one’s there to tell them to pick it up.

This attitude has infected the church. Followers of Christ believe that God sees everything all the time.

However, actions belie belief. Character is proven by what you do in the dark, when no one is watching.

The Bible says that followers of Christ live in the light—all our deeds will be made known (1 John 1:5-9; Psalm 90:8). If I truly believe my actions are being observed and recorded by that big surveillance camera in heaven, I’m going to clean up my act and pay attention to the details.

More importantly, I want to develop a habit of doing things right and with excellence because I want to please God, no matter who notices here on earth.

Jesus told the story in Matthew 25 of the ten virgins who were invited to a wedding feast.

Five of them came prepared with extra oil for their lamps, five did not.

When the bridegroom was delayed they all fell asleep. At midnight they were awakened by the announcement that the bridegroom was approaching.

The five foolish virgins begged the other five for oil to light their lamps but there was not enough. They left to go buy oil, but while they were gone, the bridegroom came.

The five wise virgins went in to the feast and the five foolish virgins were locked out and denied entrance.

The point of the parable is to be ready for the Lord’s return. It also means to be ready to do whatever the Lord has invited you to do for Him. Even something as simple as having ample oil for lamps can have eternal consequences.

If a task needs to be done in your church, not matter how small, it should be done to the very best of your ability. Develop a habit to be your best all of the time.

You never know when the gates will open so be prepared, on time, committed to excellence, and forward thinking.

Del Loy is the pastor of Crosspoint Church in Natchez.