Aim High
In the long run men only hit what they aim at. Therefore, though you should fail immediately, you had better aim at something high.
Thoreau
The school our two oldest kids attended for a few years gave out participation ribbons for the field days. Whether the child came in first or last, whether they tried hard or not at all, they got the same big participation ribbon, some with a small star if they did well. This, we were led to believe, would build up self-esteem. What a bunch of nonsense! Self esteem is earned, not awarded by decree. We need to be very careful to reward excellent effort, rather than participation. It's true that the one giving the most effort will not always finish the race first - but don't worry about his self-esteem, for he will know that he has given his best and so will those who have been paying attention to the way the race was run.
The real danger of "participation awards" is in our service to God. Often we are content with just showing up for religious events, thinking somehow that will make us Christians. The fact is that showing up for church makes you no more of a Christian than being in a barn makes you a cow. Don't get me wrong, if you are not worshiping with the church and reading God's word and praying, then you must not be expecting a crown at the Judgment - you're likely to be disappointed. Still, we must understand that God wants servants who serve, rather than those who just show up.
It's better to aim high in everything you do. In your studies, you should always aim for the perfect grade. You might not make it, but I can almost guarantee that you will be pleased with the grade you do get. If you like sports, then work for perfection. You will not hit a home run every time you go to bat, but you will get more than your share if you will put all of your effort into it. If you are married, why not try to be the perfect husband or wife? Again, you will probably not succeed every time, but your spouse will be happy. Guys, there is no better way to feel like the king of your castle than treating your wife like a queen, rather than the servant.
The fact is that excellence requires great effort. Since it is true that we will only hit at that which we aim (at least in those areas of genuine importance), then why not aim for perfection? It's a high standard, true, but one that will lead to the greatest satisfaction that one can imagine.
Aim for perfection.
II Corinthians 13:11, NIV
