Practice Makes Perfect

In 1972 Memorex started an ad to demonstrate the high-fidelity of their audio cassette tapes. In these commercials, Ella Fitzgerald would sing notes so high that the sound would shatter a glass.  The riff was recorded on a Memorex audio cassette, and when played, Ms. Fitzgerald’s amplified voice rendered the same effect.  Then we would hear the tag line, “Is it live, or is it Memorex?”

It's incredible to think that a product can copy something so well that we think it’s real. I am not sure anyone was ever able to close their eyes and tell if Ella was singing live or if a cassette tape was playing.  If the commercial were remade today, we would probably have to ask, “Is it live, or is it AI?”  

Unfortunately, copying has always been a reality when it comes to good and evil. Sometimes enemy forces present things that look, feel, and sound so real that believers are duped.  Even Christian leaders fall prey to the copycat schemes of the enemy. Hebrews 5:11-14 lets us know why. 

¹¹ About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, ¹³ for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:11–14 (ESV)

Discernment is trained by constant practice (Heb 5:14).  We are easily fooled because we are not as mature as we think, and therefore unable to discern between good and evil.  As leaders, we should be beyond the elementary principles of the Christianity and skilled “in the word of righteousness.” (v. 13)

Are we practicing, and if so, what are we practicing?  Are we practicing the things that we “have learned and received and seen” (Phil 4:9), or are we swayed by trends on TikTok and Threads? Are we studying for growth, or are we just reading out of obligation? Are we applying what we learn so that we can digest “solid food?” (Heb 5:14)

What are our prayer habits? We should practice this discipline so diligently that when He speaks to us, we comprehend with ease.  Jesus said that His sheep know His voice and follow Him. (Jn 10:27) Notice that He said sheep and not lambs; discernment is a mark of maturity which comes from proper practice.

Charles Spurgeon said, “Discernment is not a matter of telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right.”  When it comes to God, almost right is not right enough. Let’s make sure we are practicing, because practice makes perfect.