Do you see a man [who] excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown [men.] Proverbs 22:29(NKJV)
Right from the beginning the creator-architect of all things illustriously elaborates and patterns excellence for all of us to see and follow.
Here is God’s definition of excellence: When God saw everything that He had made it was very good (suitable, pleasant) and He approved it completely. Genesis 1:31
Therefore, scripturally excellence is that which is very good, suitable, pleasant and completely approved by God.
The last part “completely approved by God” is the clincher in identifying excellence. Because there are things, ways, actions, works, motives, and pursuits which may sound or look good, suitable, and pleasant, but not completely approved by God.
The tree of knowledge of good and evil seemed good and pleasant to eat from but that wasn’t completely approved by God. When Adam and Eve ate from it, they fell from God’s excellence.
Whatever you think about, whatever you say, whatever you undertake to do, or pursue, the guiding principle should be, is it good, suitable, pleasant and completely approved by God? If the answer to that question is an equivocal yes then go ahead to exhibit the God kind of excellence. Some peculiarities of excellence: When what’s heard and seen on the outside is what’s on the inside that’s honesty – that’s excellence.
When what’s seen in the beginning, continues in the middle and all the way to the end, that’s consistency – that’s excellence.
When it can’t get any better than this because this is the highest standard there is, that’s quality – that’s excellence. Finally, the one stop shop of excellence for all of us in all things: And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17 (AMPC)