Former NBA great Allen Iverson is famous for “talking about practice,” but he was not the first person to talk about it. Here’s what Jesus said about practice.
47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into PRACTICE, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into PRACTICE is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete. (Luke 6:47–49)
You have probably heard that “practice makes perfect” but according to Jesus, practice makes FOUNDATIONS. Most churches have some kind of foundations class. Teaching is good, but foundations are established only when we practice the Word, not when we hear it.
Practice also makes PERMANENT. Look no further than my ugly golf swing for proof. Because I practiced wrong for many years, my swing is far from perfect. The more I practiced, the more ingrained my bad habits became. Practicing the wrong technique did not perfect my golf game, it only made my bad swing permanent. The same is true if you are a piano player, a basketball player, a construction worker, a public speaker, or a parent. Practice makes good and bad habits permanent.
Jesus talked about people who hear his words and “put them into PRACTICE” and those who hear his words and “DO NOT put them into PRACTICE.” The former are building strong foundations that will withstand the storms of life. The latter are building on sand and will be swept away by storms and floods.
We might not be very good at forgiveness, prayer, generosity, or saying no to sin. But if we practice what his word says about forgiveness, prayer, generosity, and saying no to sin, eventually those practices will become permanent, because practice makes permanent. Tragically many practice holding offenses rather than forgiveness, worry rather than prayer, and materialism rather than generosity. This results in bitterness, worry, fear, and greed taking permanent residence in our minds.
As we practice his word we establish strong foundations that storm-proof our lives. Are you practicing his word?