Linda blogged about excellence a while ago. What I failed to mention was how excellence is punished in today's American society. (It may be elsewhere, too, but my experience is distinctly American.) Very few parents raise their children to be excellent. Even fewer demand it of themselves. Peers condemn excellence, both children and adults alike.

We set high standards for ourselves. Correction: we accept God's high standards for ourselves, and we strive to reach them. Our Father gave us many gifts, which only means our responsibility to use them in His service is that much greater. Were we to publicly disclose our gifts, though, we'd be hated--even by our friends. I once had our ministries, for example, overtly linked on the front page of this site, but had to move it somewhere more clandestine; we had been informed of the offensive nature of offering such ministry. Likewise, we once published samples of the standards of excellence for which we strive, but they are now largely hidden. (These things are still on this site but are not at all obvious.) We learned all too well that others saw this transparency and attempt to serve others as nothing more than self aggrandizement, and they were jealous.

We chose several years ago to embark on homeschooling our third child, especially after witnessing the effect of government education on our older two. (The one significant regret we have as parents is not homeschooling the other two. We were ignorant and stupid.) We researched the dickens out of it and learned of all the advantages of homeschooling. We learned how excellence could be woven into everything we taught our student/child. In every positive aspect, homeschooling can be vastly superior to any other alternative, and we intended to avail ourselves and our child of its benefits. As we got to know other homeschooling families, though, we learned just how freakish we were in our efforts to reward and encourage excellence. So many others prefer to plop their "beloved" progeny in front of a computer or TV and let them learn from recorded "teachers". Others were left alone all day to be completely self-taught even though this skill was not properly developed. Too many put their little sacrifices--er, children--into government schools when they reach high school just so they can get an accredited diploma. (Not a one of these parents we've encountered has ever researched the accreditation, though, to gauge its value or complete lack thereof.) Even among those engaging in the mildly controversial effort of homeschooling--it's definitely an effort!--almost all still largely fail to seek the excellence available to them therein. Instead, they accuse us of "pushing" our homeschooled student, denying her accomplishments' existence, or making some lame excuse why they "couldn't" aim for excellence, too.

Our family has made it a habit to always read, learn new facts, study and discuss philosophy, develop new skills, improve ourselves and grow, etc. It's a lifestyle. Others seem shocked to learn that we aren't just barely surviving, moving from one unforeseen and largely self-induced crisis to the next, as they tend to do. They demonstrate, albeit mostly politely, contempt for our efforts because they aren't willing to make such strides themselves (let alone for their kids). Despite knowing our Lord demands it of them, we make no attempt to require excellence from others. (We may desire excellence of others, but we don't ask it, merely out of social grace.) It seems, though, merely accepting our Lord's request of excellence from us (holiness, perfection, maturity, what-have-you) is enough to "make" others feel badly--there they go denying responsibility for their own feelings--for not trying enough or at all to live up to God's standard of excellence--and here they go preferring to deny their sins than repent and grow. We've lost a number of friends over the years, usually quietly and politely, because of what is evidently their own guilt.

As noted earlier: "A common experience with people in this category or higher is that they are not wanted - the masses (including the professional classes) find them an affront of some sort." This is true not only for geniuses but most anyone who earnestly desires excellence in themselves. Stupid people ask why God allows (sic) evil in the world, all the while demonstrating contempt for those who strive to rise above--or rather, be lifted above--their depraved nature.