EXCEPTIONAL
What a powerful word! It speaks for itself. The art of becoming the exception.
It speaks to the beauty of being an original.
It is going against the grain, against the flow, or coloring outside the lines! Not only not following the crowd, but avoiding it so much so that you set yourself apart from the normal. One definition described Exceptional as surpassing extraordinary!
Jesus was the greatest exception ever. No Sin! He changed the game forever. While everyone expected the Messiah to lead a revolution like King David, Jesus chose to be the exception. He fought with love, willingly sacrificed His life, and did so without a single sin. For 30 years, facing the same temptations we face daily and doing so without the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus overcame everything.
Hebrews 4:15 tells us Jesus is “without sin.” Since He is without sin, sin cannot be one of His essential qualities or attributes. You cannot have a sin nature, and be without sin. Christ’s nature is not sinful. Hebrews also tells us about Jesus’ pure nature. He is “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26).
Adam was born without sin, was tempted, and fell to sin. Second Adam, Jesus, was born without sin, was tempted, but proved to be Exceptional by not giving in to sin and temptation.
Here is list of a few synonyms that popped up for Exceptional: uncommon, unnatural, aberrant, anomalous, exceeding, olympian, prodigious, surpassing extraordinary. beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or remarkable, astonishing , astounding, superb , stupendous, excellent , wonderful , marvelous, memorable , outstanding, prime, notable, noteworthy, phenomenal, to an unusually high degree, rare, superior, first-class, terrific.
The definition of the word Prowess is Exceptional skill or ability. That made me wonder if the word Professional had any ties to the word Prowess. If it doesn’t, it should! I did find it interesting that the word professional is from Middle English, from profes, adjective, having professed one’s vows, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin professus, from Latin, past participle of profitēri to profess, confess, from pro- before + fatēri to acknowledge.
How powerful would it be for you to daily confess or profess that you are made in the image of God., thus created by the single most powerful Exception, the One True God, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.
Becoming a professional requires you doing exactly that. The Bible says the power of life and death is in the tongue. It is more powerful than any two edged sword. I challenge you to start speaking aloud your dreams. Start confessing that you are Exceptionally and Wonderfully made by God to fulfill His Plan. Your role, call, and job is to come into alignment with God through obeying the instructions in His Word, Seeking a closer personal relationship with His Son Jesus Christ, and to allow the Holy Spirit, our Helper, Guide and Power Source to help you become Exceptional!