What if we actually did go above and beyond?

Lately, I have been the brunt of other peoples mediocrity and

it is wearing me down.

We have had customer service issues galore. We have been the brunt of

glaring business and customer service mistakes trying to fix a plumbing problem here in our home and it has been tiring.

Shew!

But you too are familiar with my angst.  In every store, every service industry, we have all met frustration and poor customer service again and again.

What ever happened to excellence?
Proverbs 22:1 says; "A good name is more desirable than great riches."

Do we care anymore about our good name? About the good name of our family? The good name of being a Christian or the good name of our Lord?

Sometimes I am doubtful.

But,

what if?

What if we did not slip down the slippery slope of the lowest common denominator?

What if we actually went out of our way to exceed expectations?

Let's make our appointments on time or even early.

Let's open a door or pick up another persons trash.

Why not try to something good for someone else or perhaps exceed expectations?

Those sorts of behaviors make you feel good. If we go above and beyond we will be natural leaders in our generation and people will take notice.

My dh and I travel quite a bit.

We have learned to be super nice to the service people around us. We talk, we chat and they help us out.

Sometimes a weary traveler is at the point of most need. We treat those who help us nicely not for gain but because that is how we ourselves would like to be treated. (the Golden rule never grows old.)

I fear, as a country, we are no longer rewarding or aspiring to excellence.

That slippery slope will end up costing us all in the end.

So what if here in good old America we :

• Aimed for all A's ?
• What if we worked so hard we felt like we had truly, fully put in a really hard days work?
• What if we made our appointments on time or even early?
• What if we went above and beyond expectations even if that did cost us time or money?
• What if we did not spend more than we make and actually put some money in savings?
• What if we opened doors or gave up bus or train seats?
• What if we helped the handicapped or the elderly?
• What if we helped a woman or a mother with children?
• What if we thanked a soldier for serving us so valiantly?
• What if we thanked the service people around us?
• What if we didn't speed or rush or push others in traffic because of our failure to plan.
• What if we were quiet in class or quiet in a movie theater while others were trying to listen?
• What if we said "No, you go first."
• What if we went to a sporting event without true mob anger or a fight breaking out?
• What if sometimes we just "took" an injustice against us without lashing out? (Turn the other cheek.)

Our country as a whole would be better.

We as Americans would be better.

And maybe as a whole we could all get back on the track to excellence again?

It could happen.