Practice Makes Christian?

We've all heard and probably used at one time or another the old adage, "practice makes perfect." There are a number of assumptions that underlie this particular platitude that don't always make sense. Hopefully, we've all realized the folly of such a phrase - I know that I came to the realization quite early that no matter how much I practiced, I would never become an Olympic runner. That's not to say that I didn't benefit from participating in the practice of running with the ambition of what I considered to be perfection - but the simple reality was that I would never achieve my vision of perfection in the art of running. Even the amended version of this popular parental encouragement, "practice doesn't make perfect - perfect practice makes perfect," makes no sense. I'm not saying that it is wrong to have goals or even to encourage your children to work hard so that they might achieve some greater goal, but let's not use non-sense to encourage those practices. If you choose to use such phrases, at least clarify to your children what you mean by perfect.

Now that I've said all of that some of you are sitting there with a smirk on your face thinking, "But Jesus called us to be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect, and there doesn't seem to be much clarity with that phrase since people still quibble over just what Jesus meant." In some sense you're right, we don't fully understand what Jesus meant, but if we look at the context we just might gain a deeper understanding.

43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48 NIV)

Jesus does seem to clarify perfection here - the perfection of our heavenly Father is to love our enemies. This perfection is revealed through the Son - for God loved His enemies in this way, He gave his one and only Son, that we might believe in Him and have ever lasting life. We practice perfection as we love our enemies in this way - so in the end, I guess I have to eat my words because right practice really does make perfect. We must practice, practice, practice regardless of how we feel, what we think, or where we're at and as we practice the love of God we are shaped by the Spirit of God into the image of God. Until next time - Blessings in Christ ~ RLS