Manifesto Against Mediocrity

Manifesto Against Mediocrity
Written and Presented by Dr. Matthew Weathers
March 13, 2024 - Bob Jones University Chapel ​[View here]

I have a hope for you today. A hope that you will rise above the downward pull of mediocrity. A hope that you will rebel against the cultural norm of pursuing comfort and strive to pursue Christ. A hope that your love for the gospel will eclipse your love for the praise of men. A hope that you will have a broken heart for our broken world and have the courage to do something about it rather than look the other way. This is a manifesto against mediocrity.
 
Men, I have a hope that each of you will develop a backbone instead of a wishbone. A hope that you will treat these ladies like sisters in Christ rather than objects to exploit. A hope that you will not become a lazy man sitting in a La-Z-boy with the remote in one hand and Doritos in the other, but that you will train to be strong and tender warriors wielding the sword of truth against the encroaching darkness of the enemy. A hope that you are humbly preparing to lead yourself and your family in a way that shapes the world rather than being shaped by the world. A hope that as for you and your house, you will serve the Lord. This is a manifesto against mediocrity.
 
Ladies, I have a hope that each of you will develop a heart of faith rather than a heart of fear. A hope that your words will be full of grace rather than fraught with gossip. A hope that you will treat these men like brothers in Christ and pray for them. A hope that you will meditate on what is valuable rather than what is in Vogue. A hope that you will care more about the battle lines of eternity than tan lines for the summer. A hope that you are diligently preparing to lead yourself and support your family in a way that demonstrates strength and dignity. This is a manifesto against mediocrity.
 
I have a hope that you all will strive to progress in wisdom and make decisions rooted in the Word. A hope that you will advance in stature and strengthen your body to serve others rather than indulge or idolize your body to serve yourself. A hope that you will advance in your love for God as you prioritize your relationship with Him. A hope that you will grow in your relationships with others as you impact them for God’s glory rather than manipulate them for selfish gain. A hope that you will pursue eulogy virtues more than resume virtues. A hope that you will have a growing desire to be confronted with uncomfortable truths that lead to life rather than being coddled with comfortable lies that lead to death. This is a manifesto against mediocrity.
 
I have a hope that you will imitate Christ in your thoughts, words, and actions. A hope that today and for all your days, you will do the next right thing rather than the next easy thing because Christ is better than the fleeting pleasures of sin. A hope that the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. A hope that the God of hope will fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. A hope that you will join this manifesto against mediocrity and advance the cause of Christ with courage and conviction because your identity is in Christ. A hope that one day, on your final day – because you rejected mediocrity and embraced the Way, the Truth, and the Life, you will hear: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” This is a manifesto against mediocrity.
 
So, who will you be and what will you do with your one wonderful and miraculous life that God has given to you to live for His glory and empowered by His grace?