Excellence Just Takes
10 More Minutes

PI read that Queen Mary used to go to Scotland every summer. She was so loved by the people that she went about the country without an escort. One afternoon she was walking with some children when suddenly some dark clouds came up. The queen stopped at a house and asked if she might borrow an umbrella. She told the lady of the house, "I'll send it back to you tomorrow." The lady was reluctant to lend a good umbrella to a stranger, but remembered that she had an old one in the attic. One rib was broken and there were several holes in it, but she turned it over to the lady at the door with an apology.

The next day there was another knock at the door. When she opened the door, a man in gold braid stood with a big envelope in hand. "The queen sent me," he said, "and she asked me to thank you for the umbrella." For a moment the woman was stunned and then she burst into tears. She said, "Oh! What an opportunity I missed that I did that I did not give her my best!"

How many times have you had an opportunity to do something great, that would have required just a little larger investment in time, money, concentration, effort, etc., but you didn't because you thought it wouldn't matter, so you settled for "just getting it done." I think we all have at one time or another. Armand Hammer, the, long-time, board chairman of Occidental Petroleum was quoted as saying, "Excellence just takes ten more minutes." Now, this doesn't mean a literal ten minutes but rather that doing something great, rather than just mediocre, doesn't take but a little more effort.

Each day we have an opportunity to give Jesus the best of our time, money, ability, and opportunity. According to Jesus, we are helping ourselves when we give Him our best. "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys will thieves do not break in and steal, For where your treasure is, there will heart be also." (Matthew. 6:21). What umbrella are you giving the King? What kind of house are you building for yourself? As the song says, "Give of Your Best to the Master!"