Do it right all the time, bishop urges

MANDEVILLE, Manchester: AS HUMAN beings, one of our greatest shortfalls is how inconsistent we can be with daily activities, ranging from being on time for work, being on time for church, committing to doing what we said we would, and standing in our integrity.

But, according to Bishop Prince Chambers, it is only when we pay close attention to the issues that arise, and understand how quickly it may escalate, that we will begin to appreciate the weight of our actions.

“If we are going to build and sustain a culture of excellence, we have got to understand crisis, and for too long, we have had too many situations that escalate and turn into crisis. We are what we repeatedly do, so excellence isn’t an act: it is a habit,” said Chambers, who was preaching at the First Assembly of God in Mandeville during the Jamaica Civil Service Association special service recently. The service was held under the theme, ‘Building and Sustaining a Culture of Excellence’.

“We have to adapt to change. If Jamaica is going to be better, we

‘Don’t ignore a crisis. By virtue of its name, it requires attention: you must deal with it.’

have to adapt to change. The first place where change needs to begin is in your mindset, and if you can’t change your mindset, nothing will change.”

He said sometimes people take too much for granted.

“Sometimes we abuse the position that we have. Sometimes your gifts will take you places, but it is your character that keeps you there. The problem that we have here in society is that too many things are broken down. Sometimes not everything that happens is a crisis, but we can allow these things to escalate into a crisis.”

Chambers said some people run from their situations and because of their avoidance, the problem becomes an even bigger problem.

“Sometimes God will create a situation in order to give you a revelation, and it is how you deal with the situation that determines how the situation will pan out. If we are going to have a culture of excellence, we have to learn how to deal with a situation.

“Nothing is unique to you. No crisis is unique; you have to develop a strategy that works. Sometimes some things don’t even become crisis until certain people start working on it. Not everybody knows how to deal with a problem,” he said.

BE PREPARED

The aim is always to avoid a crisis, but according to Chambers, when it comes, individuals must be prepared.

“Don’t ignore a crisis. By virtue of its name, it requires attention: you must deal with it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. One person cannot do everything. Don’t shift blame in a crisis – the issue is not who caused the problem. If there is a fire, the problem shouldn’t be who started the fire: you must out the fire.”

He added that the best way to deal with a crisis is to develop a strong prayer life.

“If you are dealing with a situation, there is need for prayer. All of us have issues at time where we don’t feel like praying, but prayer helps make every man a better man. The Bible says the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayer determines your dependency upon God. If any time at all Jamaica needs to pray, it is now.

“Prayer eliminates pride and self-sufficiency. It requires you to look beyond yourself and your shortcomings. You cannot pray and worry at the same time, it doesn’t work; prayer energises your faith.”

He said building a culture of excellence requires a high level of consistency as it is not a one-time act that will get you where you need to be.

“You cannot want a culture of excellence and do things haphazardly. It is not going to work. You must do it to the best of your ability and you must do it all the time,” he ended.