Getting in the game ... and practicing...

Yesterday was the beginning of baseball and softball season for our area. Savannah and Hadden had "try-outs" for teams. At this level, the kids do not get cut, but the league runs the try-outs to assess the skills of each child and attempt to make the teams even.

Savannah and Hadden have never played official baseball. We have a cheap bat and ball that we play with, they both have gloves, but we have just not had the chance to play "real" ball.

I wanted our kids to do well, to have fun, and to be confident to do their best. I knew they would not be the best players, but I didn't want them to be confused or lost during the try-outs. So a couple of nights before, while John had to be in the prison, I was trying to help them understand the rules of baseball, at least to the best of my ability. I diagrammed on paper for them, gave them tips, tried to explain different scenarios, etc.

Then, on Saturday, we spent a couple of hours practicing - throwing, hitting and catching.

Hadden was first to try-out. He did ok. Savannah was next. She did ok.

As I sat there watching them, I realized that we didn't put enough amount of time in practicing. We talked about the game, had gone to a game in PA, played parts of the game, but just haven't practiced enough from day to day to build the skills necessary for them to really be effective.

I know this analogy has been used before, but it struck me yesterday as I sat there watching our children that our Christian walk is the same way. First of all, you have got to be in the game to be effective. We can know all about the game, we can even go and watch games, we can talk to others about the game, but if individually we aren't in the game, we are merely spectators.

Knowing Christ is the first step, but unless we know Him for ourselves, we are simply just spectators. We may go to church, know all about Christ, know all the "rules" and even believe He exists, and still be a spectator.

The next step is to put it into practice. Knowing Him, praying, reading His word - practice.

So, now I'm going to go practice and do my Bible study homework :)

James 5:16b The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Matthew 7:24-25 "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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.