George Sweeting - The Pursuit of Excellence

1985, 2019 by GEORGE SWEETING

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Previously published as Secrets of Excellence (1985).

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB), Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked ASV are taken from the American Standard Version.

Edited by Connor Sterchi
Interior design: Ragont Design
Cover design: Erik M. Peterson
Cover illustration of summit icon copyright 2017 by Sudowoodo / iStock (870978682). All rights reserved.
Photo of mountain climber by m wrona on Unsplash.
Author photo: Gail Sweeting

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Sweeting, George, 1924- author.

Title: The pursuit of excellence / George Sweeting.

Other titles: You can climb higher

Description: Chicago : Moody Publishers, [2019] | Original edition: You can climb higher. 1984 | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019003508 (print) | LCCN 2019010700 (ebook) | ISBN 9780802498069 () | ISBN 9780802419477

Subjects: LCSH: Christian life.

Classification: LCC BV4501.3 (ebook) | LCC BV4501.3 .S9446 2019 (print) | DDC 248.4--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019003508

ISBN: 978-0-8024-1947-7
eBook ISBN: 978-0-8024-9806-9

All websites and phone numbers listed herein are accurate at the time of publication but may change in the future or cease to exist. The listing of website references and resources does not imply publisher endorsement of the sites entire contents. Groups and organizations are listed for informational purposes, and listing does not imply publisher endorsement of their activities.

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This book is gratefully dedicated to the Alumni of the Moody Bible Institute, past, present, and future, who are committed to the commission of Jesus, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15 NIV).

Also, with great appreciation to our granddaughter, Erika Sweeting Dawson, who typed and shared insights for this manuscript.

Friend,

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O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

Psalm 8:1 KJV

Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16 NIV

Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Very few have excellence thrust upon them. They achieve it. They do not achieve it unwittingly by doing what comes naturally, and they dont stumble into it in the course of amusing themselves. All excellence involves involves discipline and tenacity of purpose.

John W. Gardner, Excellence

Claiming the righteousness of Jesus Christ, I said, Were going to win! And we did.

C. Everett Koop

that you may be able to discern what is best

Philippians 1:10 NIV

Run in such a way that you may win.

1 Corinthians 9:24 NASB

I do not run like someone running aimlessly

1 Corinthians 9:26 NIV

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14 NIV

Whoever I am or whatever I am doing, some kind of excellence is within my reach.

John W. Gardner

The words of the ancient Oath of Hippocrates echoed through the halls of Cornell University as the medical class of 1941 recited their commitment to save human lives: I will follow that method of treatment which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.

Outwardly one young physician in the class seemed no different from the other bright students. Each one who wore the olive-green hood over their black cap and gown, signifying the medical degree, had a look of joy coupled with determinationjoy in having completed the grueling years of preparation and determination to make that training serve themselves and others. But this young man had a different perspective from most; he believed in Jesus Christ as his Lord and intended to demonstrate his faith in his medical practice.

By 1953 he and a neurosurgeon combined their knowledge to develop a revolutionary procedure. They discovered how to drain water from the brain to prevent a condition that killed 90 percent of its victims before they were two years old. Babies once doomed to death could now live to become healthy children.

Over the next two decades this surgeon single-mindedly pursued his dream to establish the countrys first neonatal intensive surgical-care unit and a total-care pediatric facility. In 1974, his pursuit of excellence led him to tackle an operation other doctors declared impossible. He separated the Rodriguez Siamese-twin girls, whose internal connections were multiple and complex. The day of that operation began, as always, with prayer and Bible reading. A verse in Psalms, which said the Lord will support the righteous, became my help in time of need, the surgeon later told reporters. Claiming the righteousness of Jesus Christ, I said, Were going to win! And we did.