Did you play any sports?
I played football. The number of times we ran that same blocking and tackling drills were too many too count. Then of course there was the on-infinitum general strength and endurance training. As if that was not enough, there was the playbook.
Choirs, and other groups, have their own disciplines, but let’s, for the moment, stick with football.
More than one of my coaches used to say, “Practice like you want to play.” His point was simple; if you cannot do it on the practice field, then you will never do it on game day.
Makes sense: on top of being able to perform on the generally friendly practice field, you have to deal with Game Day.
Game Day is always different than practice. There are always “curves” you were not expecting. There are injuries, weather, and other situations you may or may not have practiced and planned for.
You have to think and react on your feet—and your ability to do so is directly related to how practiced you are in the skills of the game.
Proverbs is repetitive for that reason—in real life you are going to get thrown some “curve’s”—how practiced are you and I in the skills of life?
It’s no wonder that verses 1, 2, and 4 return to the issue of our speech—with a quick note in verse 3 that our coach sees everything, and a direct point in verse 5 that if we are unwilling to learn, to receive correction—well then we are fools!
I can picture one of my football coaches saying, “Collum, if you are not serious, stop wasting your time—and ours!” (They were a friendly bunch.)
I am struck by the stark picture Proverbs paints for us. Consider simply verse 9. God finds the way of the wicked an abomination, but the one who pursues righteousness He loves. No middle ground.
Here again I must remind myself that it is only by Jesus that I am righteous—by His Grace.
Yet, the immediate question that flows to my mind is whether I am pursuing Jesus.
On Game Day there is no middle ground, only a winner and a loser.
The point is not perfection, that is an allusion. The point is, amid the love and grace of Jesus, what are you and I pursuing, how are we practicing, what are we learning each time we fall down.
When I “fall down” what I learn over and over is that my heart has turned from God.
Here is how it plays out. Something happens where my feelings get hurt, my ego gets bruised, or perhaps I become fearful. In response I turn inward, I turn toward, and begin wanting, something to soothe my hurt. I become disconnected from God. I sin.
I do so in any number of ways. My thoughts, my speech, my actions. Sometimes it is things I do. Other times it is things I don’t do. There are times I don’t even know that I’ve done them.
The point is not to become neurotic. The point is, amid grace and love, to practice and practice—to pursue righteousness.
Where might Proverbs today be poking you to practice more—take a scan through the chapter again and ask God to point out to you an area He would recommend.