Get It Perfect, Boys: A Tribute to Dolly Parton and the Call to Excellence for Christ
A personal story about meeting Dolly Parton reveals what it means to work for the Lord with excellence and humility. This week the world said goodbye to Dolly Parton. She was eighty years old, and she left behind seven decades of music, laughter, and generosity. I only met her once, but that one evening taught me something about excellence that I have never forgotten. Today I want to share that memory with you, because underneath it sits a truth straight from God’s Word.
Subscribe to DevotionsDoneDaily
https://devotionsdonedaily.com/subscribe/
The cost is zero…the value is priceless and eternal.
Today’s Opening Worship Song
Dolly Parton recorded countless gospel songs throughout her career, and “Precious Memories” captures the tender, thankful spirit that fits today’s message so well. Let this song prepare your heart before we open God’s Word.
Scripture Focus
Colossians 3:23–24
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Titus 2:7
“In everything set them an example by doing what is good.”
Philippians 2:3–4
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Micah 6:8
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
John 14:1–3
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms… I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
These five passages trace a simple path. First, we are called to excellence. Next, we are called to humility. Finally, we are given hope beyond this life. Let’s walk through what that looked like on an ordinary Nashville evening many years ago.
Life Application
A Lesson Learned on Music Row
Back in the fall of 1974, my manager and I walked up and down Nashville’s Music Row searching for a band to travel with us for a series of dealer meetings. A studio agent invited us to sit in on a Dolly Parton rehearsal that same evening. We said yes without hesitation.
Partway through the song, Dolly stopped the band cold. One guitarist had hit a G instead of a D on the final note. “We can’t do that in the show,” she told him. “We gotta get it perfect, boys. Let’s start over from the beginning.” They ran it twice more before she was satisfied. Nothing about that moment felt harsh. It simply felt like someone who cared deeply about honoring the people who would eventually sit in those seats.
Excellence Without Pride
Colossians 3:23 tells us to work at everything with all our heart, as though we are serving the Lord Himself rather than any human audience. That is exactly what I witnessed that night, even though nobody in that room would have called it worship. Dolly wasn’t performing for critics. She was preparing for an audience she respected, and she refused to give them anything less than her best.
Afterward, we were led backstage to meet her. I expected someone guarded or distant. Instead, she greeted us warmly, asked where we were from, and wished us well, all with the same genuine smile she gave everyone else in that hallway. Philippians 2:3 calls us to value others above ourselves, and Micah 6:8 asks us to walk humbly with God. Somehow, without ever preaching a sermon, Dolly modeled both verses in a five-minute conversation.
What This Means for You Today
Maybe your work this week feels unnoticed. Perhaps nobody claps when you finish the task in front of you. Take heart, because Scripture never ties excellence to applause. Instead, it ties excellence to who we are ultimately serving. When you tighten that bolt correctly, write that report carefully, or comfort that friend patiently, you are offering it to Christ.
At the same time, remember that excellence should never puff us up. Dolly’s perfectionism never made her cold or unreachable. Consequently, her humility became just as memorable as her talent. Together, those two qualities point us toward the kind of life God calls every believer to live: diligent in our work, gentle in our hearts.
Grief, Hope, and Heaven
Losing Dolly Parton has stirred real grief across this country, and it may have stirred something in you too. Thankfully, Jesus never leaves us without comfort in moments like this. In John 14, He promises His followers a home prepared and a reunion guaranteed. Therefore, we grieve, but we do not grieve as those without hope. For everyone who has placed their trust in Christ, “goodbye” is never the final word.
A Word From a Faithful Voice
Charles Spurgeon once described diligent, faithful work as one of the quiet ways believers glorify God without ever needing a stage. That truth fits this story well; some of the most lasting lessons in excellence and humility come from ordinary moments nobody planned to remember.
A Brief Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of memory and for the people who leave lasting impressions on our lives. Thank You for Dolly Parton’s warmth, her talent, and the humility she carried so naturally. Lord, teach me to work at everything as though I am serving You, and teach me to treat every person I meet with the same kindness she showed a couple of strangers in a dressing room. Comfort everyone today who grieves her passing, and remind us that heaven is real and waiting for those who trust in Jesus. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Today’s Closing Worship Song
Dolly Parton’s song “When Jesus Comes Calling for Me” speaks directly to the hope we just prayed about. It’s a fitting way to close today’s devotion in worship rather than sorrow.
Keep Growing With Us
Subscribe to DevotionsDoneDaily
https://devotionsdonedaily.com/subscribe/
The cost is zero…the value is priceless and eternal.
If today’s devotion encouraged you, please share it with a family member or friend who could use a little hope this week.
Acknowledgments
We thank:
- Pixabay for free, high-quality artwork.
- AZ Quotes for inspirational quotations.
- YouTube Gospel Music for timeless worship songs.
- We recommend GotQuestions.org for further Bible study.
Have a wonderful day and keep your eyes on Jesus and your spirits high.
— Bill