creating windows of excellence
"Greatness is not a function of circumstance.
Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline."
Jim Collins
"Freedom is only part of the story and half the truth. That is why I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast be supplanted by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast."
Viktor Frankl
One of the great aches we face today is the ache of futility.
We are constantly bombarded with such large challenges and issues that our lives can seem small and insignificant.
Does anything we do really make a difference to anyone at all?
Does God care, do our families care, do our churches care, and do our employers care?
Below the surface of so much of the activity and forced smiles can be the sense that there isn’t really any point to anything we do.
We address this in Fighting Shadows, but I want to speak into it again here.
Part of the reason we feel this sense of futility is that it appears we can’t really change anything around us, and it seems nobody cares when we try.
Our choices are shaped by algorithms, our laws by politicians, and our work by bosses.
It can often feel like our sense of agency is shrinking.
I reflected on this while re-reading Jim Collins' business classic Good to Great. You are probably familiar with some of the book's core concepts (Becoming a Level 5 Leader, The Hedgehog Concept, The Flywheel, etc.), but something different stood out to me this time—something that felt prescient for this moment.
It was in the Q&A section of the book. It was about how to make a difference when you feel powerless. The dialogue went something like this:
Q. How can you do something great when you are not in charge?
Is good work really possible when you are just a cog in the wheel?
Jim Collins' answer:
A. Yes. Create a window of excellence wherever you are.
"Windows of excellence." I love this idea.
In New York City, one of the most important features of renting an apartment is the presence of natural light. People will turn down apartments without windows because they need light. Windows let in light and change the dynamic of dark rooms.
We need men to create windows of excellence to let kingdom light into the darkness of this world. A small window of light can change any room.
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You have probably encountered a window of excellence at some point in your life. The light of someone doing good, seemingly small work that lets the light into normal or frustrating situations.
This is the mechanic who treats you with respect and reassures you that your car doesn’t need major work and that a simple oil change will do. They don’t upsell you; they serve you.
This is the cashier at a coffee shop who asks about your day and remembers your order and your kids' names.
It’s the teacher who turns their classroom into a portal of joy and encouragement for your kids when there is chaos all around.
It's the single mom holding down two jobs, helping her kids read and put screens away when she is tired to the bone.
It’s the executive who goes over the notes one final time to make sure the concepts are clear and concise.
A window of excellence may not seem dramatic, but it can be potent.
Over time, it can fight futility by letting the light into the darkness around us.
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CREATING WINDOWS OF EXCELLENCE
Here are a few framing thoughts on creating a window of excellence in your world today.
(1) CHANGE THE AUDIENCE OF YOUR LIFE
I haven’t always been a Pastor in New York City. Years back, I was an apprentice butcher at a meat wholesaler in Australia. In case you are unaware, apprentices are not endowed with workplace power. They are at the bottom of the food chain, doing the unwanted and menial work.
But as a new believer, I resolved to turn the butcher shop into a portal of heaven. I would get in early before the other workers, get on my knees, hold my knives up to God, and offer everything I did as an act of worship to Him. I wanted people to say...
"Those were the best sausages I have ever had."
"That was the best-marinated steak I have ever tasted."
"That was the friendliest butcher I have ever met."
"Jon is the most hardworking apprentice we have ever had."
I had an "Unto the Lord" orientation to my work, which steadied my heart and imbued significance into the most menial tasks.
(2) FIGHT PASSIVITY WITH RUTHLESS ACTION
One of the Stoics' best practices was to divide life into two categories: that which we can control and that which we cannot control.
"Do everything you can about what is in your control and ignore what you cannot control."
If you do this, you will learn that you have a tremendous amount of capacity, even when things feel futile.
Think of Nelson Mandela in prison for 27 years, using this time to grow into the man who would become the leader of his nation. He read widely, cleaned his cell, wrote his biography (which he slowly smuggled out), dealt with the anger in his heart, and was formed into a leader of leaders.
Squire Bill Widener was the first to say,
"Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are."
A prison cell, a vision, a new heart.
A ruthless commitment to action changed a prisoner into a president over time.
(3) REMEMBER REDEMPTIVE HISTORY
It was Margaret Mead who said,
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has."
The Harlem Renaissance occurred amidst widespread racial discrimination and segregation in the United States. Yet a window of excellence emerged in African American culture, bringing art, economics, intellectuals, and activists to the forefront.
During the collapse of the Roman Empire, St Benedict planted centers of learning, agriculture, and spiritual renewal in a time of utter chaos. Their disciplined pursuit of excellence in work and prayer preserved much of the Western culture we value today.
During Nazi rule in Germany, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Confessing Church stoodagainst the mediocrity and moral collapse of the state-aligned churches. Their theological depth and commitment to ethical integrity became a beacon of hope that still lets light into the church today.
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COMMIT TO EXCELLENCE
We often talk about the fact that we are living as cultural exiles today. We talk about the need to be distinct from the world around us. However, one of the least talked about features of living as an exile is our commitment to working with excellence.
This is an overlooked component of Daniel's exilic influence. Daniel 6:3 notes,
"Now, Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom."
Resolve in your heart that whatever you do will be done with excellence.
Do the dishes with excellence
Mow lines in your grass with excellence
Do work projects with excellence
Help your kids with their homework with excellence
Serve in your church with excellence
Manage your money with excellence
One of the easiest ways to stand out in our mediocre world is to do everything with excellence.
Proverbs 22:29 says, "Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men."
Excellence is the way to distinguish yourself as a man today.
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STANDING IN THE LIGHT
Yesterday, I got to speak at Refined Technologies Inc. in Houston. Their CEO, Cody Nath, runs this company with a compelling redemptive framework.
The highlight of my time there was attending the employee awards ceremony. Over 80% of the workforce in that department is made up of formerly incarcerated men. It’s a kingdom outpost in the middle of Houston’s oil and gas industry.
I was talking with a man who had just gotten out of prison and was two months into his work there. He was a man who had resolve and hope.
I asked him what his vision was.
"I want to get hired here full-time. I want to work hard and regain some dignity. I want to become an artisan who does my job well."
He had a sense of agency and was rebuilding his life with hope. But what he said next stunned me.
"This place is a piece of heaven on earth.
Look around. Look at all these men.
They are working well and feel good about themselves.
This doesn’t just happen anywhere else."
This man had built a window of excellence.
And for a few minutes on a humid Tuesday afternoon in Houston, I got to stand in their light.
Windows of excellence let kingdom light in. This is a way to bring heaven to earth.
I am committed to building windows of excellence with you.
Cheers.
Jon.
