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Message from Pastor Matthew Poock

The courage to practice

By Pastor Matthew Poock

There’s a first time for everything. Golf aficionados learned this truth once again at the conclusion of the PGA Championship on Aug. 16. For years Tiger Woods has ranked as the best golfer in the world. His success is unparalleled, and he has revived public interest in the sport. Never before has Tiger Woods lost a professional tournament when heading into the weekend with a strong lead, a four-shot advantage. Until now.

The PGA tournament is one of the four major championships in golf, and the last major of the golf season. In his career, Woods has captured 14 major golf championships, but for the first time in five years, he did not win a major tournament this year.

Some critics are eager to label this the beginning of the end for Tiger Woods’ golf dominance. Just last year Woods left the golf season early in order to have rather serious (and overly postponed) surgery on his left knee. After an eight-month layoff, he returned this season only to come up short of his expectations. Nonetheless, Woods remains ranked as No. 1 in the world, for now.

As it has for Michael Jordan, Dan Marino, and countless other athletes, the day will come when Tiger Woods is not as good as he once was. Some last longer than others, but no one remains on the top of their game forever. Not athletes, nor musicians; not professionals, nor amateurs.

Almost all of us — young and old — have experienced moments when we realize that we cannot do things that we used to be able to do. Our abilities and proficiencies wax and wane, come and go.

Some of this waning is a product of aging. An adolescent realizes that she is no longer able to jump in the ball pit as she did when she was a shorter child. A middle-aged man begins using prescription eyeglasses because he can no longer read the fine print. A senior adult must rely on a walker to keep a steady balance. These changes can be sad and difficult to accept.

Other changes in our abilities are the result of lack of practice. Taking piano lessons for years as a youth does not guarantee that you can play a Beethoven concerto today if you haven’t continued to practice. Few of us would expect to be able to run the Bix 7 without training for it (and doctors wouldn’t advise it). Although we balk and complain at it, practice is an essential part of honing our skills and abilities. As circumstances and interests change, we invest our time and energy into practicing different things.

“Practice makes perfect.” If you haven’t said the phrase yourself, you’ve heard it. While none of us will ever be spiritually perfect in this life, practice is an essential part of a life in Christ. As with golf or so much else, faith takes practice. It’s not easy; Christianity is not for spectators.

Many of us long to have a strong spiritual life, but are we willing to invest in the practice of our faith? Unlike so much else, the practice of faith need not wane with time. We are never too old to be generous and forgiving. No amount of aging will diminish our ability to pray or to hear the Word of God; in fact, these will only increase with practice. Faith is a lifelong pursuit that never ends. As with relationships, faith strengthens as we relate more and more with God, with others, and with God’s world.

Let us together practice our faith. Say yes to worship and learning opportunities. Sign up for that mission trip. Commit to times of prayer. Make space for quiet listening and holy conversation. Don’t worry if you haven’t done it much before. There’s a first time for everything.

Pastor Matthew Poock,

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