Practice Makes Perfect

We may have grown up in church, we may have read parts of the Bible, we may know how we should live our lives, however if we don’t put it into practice Jesus will not recognise us as his own.

Matthew 7.15-29

Reference: v.24  “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (NIV Bible)

Explore: As a teenager I learnt to play the clarinet.  I received my hand-me-down instrument from my older sister in Year 7 and started lessons.  The squeeks and squawks that can come from one object is quite amazing (and the tolerance of my parents is also beyond me!) but I soon began to make a recognisable tune.  Each week I would go along to lessons but inbetween lessons the clarinet was hardly to be seen.  When talking to my clarinet teacher I had every intention to get my instrument out each day and practice for just 15 minutes but it rarely eventuated.  I persevered with my lessons all the way to Year 10 when (through a culmination of living at boarding school, having nothing to do after school and getting an inspiring teacher) I started to practice nearly every day.  The progress was slow but within a couple of weeks I was picking up pieces faster and playing with a lot more confidence.  Who would have thought my teacher was correct when he said that practicing would really helped?!!  It is one thing to have the knowledge of how to play an instrument however it is a totally different thing to actually play it well.
Many people have the knowledge of how things should be however putting it in to practice is a totally different ball game.  I had every capacity to play the clarinet (instrument, lessons, some innate musical ability) however unless I actually picked up the clarinet and practiced it, I was never going to get any pleasant tune from it.

Application: The same is true as a follower of Jesus.  We may have grown up in church, we may have read parts of the Bible, we may know how we should live our lives, however if we don’t put it into practice Jesus will not recognise us as his own.  So many times I start off my day with every intention not to gossip because I know it isn’t right or helpful or Christ-like and yet when I over hear someone else talking I can’t help but join right on it.  My intention at the beginning of the day means nothing unless I can actually resist the temptation to gossip through out the day.
It is so important for us to read and study the Bible so we can learn more about God and the life He desires for us.  However if we just fill up on knowledge and never put it into practice then we have missed God’s point all together.  When we stand before God He will not give us a test on our theological knowledge!  He will look at how we lived our lives and respond accordingly.  May we have the courage to put all our knowledge of a Godly life into practice today.

Prayer: Lord, you have given us so much guidance as to how we should life our lives.  You gave us Your Son to show us and Your Spirit to guide us.  May we have the courage of our convictions to live for You today.  Amen.

Matthew