Several years ago I started playing golf and decided to take lessons. During the weeks I took lessons and for a while thereafter my game improved. But, since I didn’t play that often, I quickly forgot what I learned and my play deteriorated.

Looking at how I play now you would never guess I have much of an understanding of the game. Since I took lessons I should know better. I often chuckle as I’m playing when that verse comes to mind, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)

I realize applying that verse to my golf game is taking it way out of context. It just reminds me that I should play better since I was once taught the right way.

This little scenario ran through my mind again this week as I came across Jesus’ parable about the houses built on rock and sand.

He said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.

“And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27

How often, I thought, do I hear God’s Word, whether from a message at church or on the radio, as I read the Bible or some devotional book, and yet don’t act on what I have heard?

Sure the messages are nice and I glean something from them, but how much do I make it a point to put what I’ve learned into practice?

And for that matter, with what I already know from God’s Word and His direction in my life, how much of that do I make a regular habit in my life?

I definitely want to stand strong when the floods come and the winds blow and I get buffeted by all kinds of things. Jesus said the way to do this is to hear, read, study His Word and act upon it. That’s the only way I can be strong.

When I don’t act on it, like my golf lessons, I forget it and it is no longer are there for me to use and rely on. And that’s when I collapse under the weight, stress and strain of life.

If I take this and look at it in reverse order, when I see myself not holding up under the pressures of life then I have to draw the natural conclusion I either haven’t been in the Word enough (so I can act on it) or I’m clearly not putting into practice what I am learning from Scripture.

James makes this even more pointed when he wrote, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” (1:22)

He almost adds insult to injury when he says if I don’t act on what I read or learn I am simply lying to myself. I’m telling myself I’m a strong Christian, that I can stand the storms of life, that I’m growing in my spiritual life and yet if I’m not doing what I’m learning in the Word then I’m simply deluded!

Jesus and James aren’t encouraging me not to be in the Word since then I wouldn’t know what it says so I wouldn’t be accountable to put it into practice. Their exhortation is to be in the Word a lot, to study and learn all I can of what it says but then to make sure I’m applying it and living it.

My golf game may never get any better. But my attitudes, desires and actions need to continue improving, becoming more and more like Christ’s. That way I can be strong, I can withstand the “rains, floods and winds” of life.

Being in the Word is extremely important, but acting on what I learn is equally vital if I want to develop more and more in my spiritual life. And that’s a choice I have to make moment by moment throughout my day.

That’s what’s been on my heart this week.
Mark