DEVOTIONAL
| MEDIOCRE |
The dictionary defines mediocre as “of average quality: neither good nor bad; ordinary.” Some of
the synonyms are: uninspired, unremarkable, undistinguished, unexceptional, unexciting and
forgettable.
Did you hear all those words that started with “un?” Just to be sure of the meaning of “un” I looked
that up as well. The dictionary says it means “not” or “opposite.” Not inspired. Not remarkable. Not
exceptional. Not exciting.
My research didn’t end there. If mediocre was the opposite of these other things I wanted to be
sure what these other things were. Inspired is defined as “guided by or as if by a divine or
supernatural influence.” Distinguished means “important or superior.” Exceptional is “out of the
ordinary or unusual.” Among its varied definitions exciting means “stirring.”
Mediocre, then, means that I, if I am the one being described as mediocre, am none of those
things. Is it any wonder that just saying the word makes my skin crawl and the hair stand up on the
back of my neck. There has never been a time in my life when the thought of being “average” didn’t
arouse such feelings in me. I have known people in my lifetime who were or are okay with the
middle of the road and I don’t mean for this to be a criticism of them. I just can’t be one of them.
It was Andy Warhol who said that every individual would someday have their 15 minutes of fame.
That is not what I am talking about either. I am not interested in being famous. And according to the
worlds definition I am not interested in being successful either. According to the world success is
big houses, expensive cars and lots of money. It’s not that I am opposed to those things its just
that they aren’t worth my life. It’s not success that I am after but rather significance. I have to know
that my life matters. This drive to significance that I am talking about is, as Dallas Williard says, “a
simple extension of the creative impulse of God that gave us being.” My hunger for significance is
simply an indication of who I am and why I am here.
What has me encouraged of late is an awareness, maybe for the first time, that my hunger for
significance isn’t about me or making a name for myself. I have a tremendous desire to make
Jesus famous. It is not about me. It is about Him. I am not always the brightest crayon in the box
but I do eventually get it. And I think that I got it. The best way I know how to make Him famous is for
my life to be an accurate reflection of His. Paul tells us in the book of Romans that the goal of every
Christ follower is to be conformed to His image. That really makes it pretty simple. At least the
understanding of the task is simple - while the carrying out of the task is sometimes anything but.
If I am going to be like Him it is absolutely essential that I know Him. Just knowing about Him is not
enough. I must know Him. In his letter to the Philippians, the great apostle said that the goal of his
life was to know Christ. Paul arguably knew him better than any other person who ever lived and yet
he said his goal was “to know Him.” I simply want to say amen to that.
I recently heard a song by a recording artist named Matthew West. The name of the song is
“Motions.” What the song gives to us is an understanding of the futility of just going through the
motions instead of living our lives in pursuit of God. It has been said that Christianity was never
intended to be defined by its disciplines but rather by its passion. If mediocrity is anything, it is
passionless.
The words of this song continue to ring in my ears and my heart. I don’t want to spend my whole life
asking what if I had given everything instead of going through the motions. This is a burning in my
soul that won’t go away. That I don’t want to go away.
I would like my headstone to read, “He was never mediocre.”
the synonyms are: uninspired, unremarkable, undistinguished, unexceptional, unexciting and
forgettable.
Did you hear all those words that started with “un?” Just to be sure of the meaning of “un” I looked
that up as well. The dictionary says it means “not” or “opposite.” Not inspired. Not remarkable. Not
exceptional. Not exciting.
My research didn’t end there. If mediocre was the opposite of these other things I wanted to be
sure what these other things were. Inspired is defined as “guided by or as if by a divine or
supernatural influence.” Distinguished means “important or superior.” Exceptional is “out of the
ordinary or unusual.” Among its varied definitions exciting means “stirring.”
Mediocre, then, means that I, if I am the one being described as mediocre, am none of those
things. Is it any wonder that just saying the word makes my skin crawl and the hair stand up on the
back of my neck. There has never been a time in my life when the thought of being “average” didn’t
arouse such feelings in me. I have known people in my lifetime who were or are okay with the
middle of the road and I don’t mean for this to be a criticism of them. I just can’t be one of them.
It was Andy Warhol who said that every individual would someday have their 15 minutes of fame.
That is not what I am talking about either. I am not interested in being famous. And according to the
worlds definition I am not interested in being successful either. According to the world success is
big houses, expensive cars and lots of money. It’s not that I am opposed to those things its just
that they aren’t worth my life. It’s not success that I am after but rather significance. I have to know
that my life matters. This drive to significance that I am talking about is, as Dallas Williard says, “a
simple extension of the creative impulse of God that gave us being.” My hunger for significance is
simply an indication of who I am and why I am here.
What has me encouraged of late is an awareness, maybe for the first time, that my hunger for
significance isn’t about me or making a name for myself. I have a tremendous desire to make
Jesus famous. It is not about me. It is about Him. I am not always the brightest crayon in the box
but I do eventually get it. And I think that I got it. The best way I know how to make Him famous is for
my life to be an accurate reflection of His. Paul tells us in the book of Romans that the goal of every
Christ follower is to be conformed to His image. That really makes it pretty simple. At least the
understanding of the task is simple - while the carrying out of the task is sometimes anything but.
If I am going to be like Him it is absolutely essential that I know Him. Just knowing about Him is not
enough. I must know Him. In his letter to the Philippians, the great apostle said that the goal of his
life was to know Christ. Paul arguably knew him better than any other person who ever lived and yet
he said his goal was “to know Him.” I simply want to say amen to that.
I recently heard a song by a recording artist named Matthew West. The name of the song is
“Motions.” What the song gives to us is an understanding of the futility of just going through the
motions instead of living our lives in pursuit of God. It has been said that Christianity was never
intended to be defined by its disciplines but rather by its passion. If mediocrity is anything, it is
passionless.
The words of this song continue to ring in my ears and my heart. I don’t want to spend my whole life
asking what if I had given everything instead of going through the motions. This is a burning in my
soul that won’t go away. That I don’t want to go away.
I would like my headstone to read, “He was never mediocre.”
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ELROD MINISTRIES
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