Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates (Deuteronomy 6:6-9 MSG).

This year has ushered in many changes for our family, and one of them has been stepping into the world of middle school football.

Our youngest son is on the 7th grade football team at his new school. The school itself is brand new this year, so the team has a smaller number of players compared to the other 7th grade teams in the area. They’ve had two games so far this season, and both teams they’ve played have had double or triple the number of players on their sidelines. What this means for our son and his teammates is that they play both sides of the ball for the couple of hours it takes to complete their games.

It’s exhausting for sure, but they’re getting more reps than the players on the bigger teams. There’s only so much they can learn from listening to their coaches at practice. Practice is, of course, an important part of football, but for these beginners actually playing the game while getting on-field instruction from their coaches will help them learn the game faster. 

Repetition ensures plays will be committed to memory and the game will soon become second nature. Each play cements the elements of football into their minds and the very center of their beings. (Case in point: it’s very apparent on the sidelines of these middle school games which dads also played football in school. They pace back and forth, shout instructions to their sons, and talk strategy amongst themselves. They can’t help themselves!)

Of course this applies to any sport played or activity participated in at any age. It also applies to the core value of being Biblically Guided. 

We listen to sermons, we attend small groups, we might even go to extra Bible study groups, listen to Christian podcasts, and read the verse of the day on our Bible apps. All are valuable, but how do we internalize what we’ve read, listened to, and studied?

By applying what we’ve learned at “practice” to real life, using real time instruction from pastors, small group leaders, and trusted friends to make “game” time decisions. Learning from the outcomes of those decisions and doing it over and over again. Every “rep” and every “play” cements the elements of God’s Word into our minds and the very center of our beings.

Whether you’re nine or ninety, it can feel like we’re all 7th graders out here learning the game of life for the first time. Thank you, God, for always being on the field with us! Help us to hear your instruction and put it into play today. Amen.