My daughter is an avid basketball player. She has gone from playing community basketball to now playing with a national league team. Her practices have ramped up from one practice per week to three training sessions, sometimes with two games on the weekend.

For some, that seems a lot. It certainly takes some dedication. but the improvement in her is unmistakable. I remember her first fearful practices, never having so much as bounced a ball. I look at her now, dribbling with skill, doing lay-ups like they’re second nature, controlled and confident in what she is doing.

The lesson here is obvious. It is a lesson as old as time. It is the reality of what practice does. It rarely (per the adage) makes perfect. But it definitely does make considerably better!

We have a myth of talent. This myth tells us that some people are just born prodigous players. Some have innate talent, so we believe, and are therefore just naturally gifted. Practice might top up their ability, but its the talent what really tells.

This myth is total rubbish. There are no sports stars in the world, no world beaters, who have not put in hours and hours of practice. That isn’t to say there is no such thing as innate talent. It is simply to say it is a much smaller part of the equation than practice. Talent may be the difference between the very good and the world class, but even the world class continue to practice.

When it comes to the church and our Christian growth, the lesson should be similarly obvious. None of us are “natural talents” so to speak. Sin indwells all of us and unless we are continually battling with it, it will overtake. Unless we are continually practising our Christian faith, our “natural talent” won’t get us anywhere. Whatever aspect of the Christian life you care to mention, unless we are keen to practice it, we aren’t going to be getting very far in our Christian growth.

Practice doesn’t make perfect, but it does make you better.