Practice does not make perfect.

Ask anyone on the street and most will finish the misnomer, "Practice makes __________" with the word "Perfect." We could almost recite the phrase in our sleep. Too bad it is not true...at all...in any situation. If you practice throwing the ball incorrectly over and over, you won't suddenly do it right. If you practice guitar chords and insist on including every string in the "C" on the fingerboard, you will not become an expert on how to play the tonal "C" chord. If you practice shooting an arrow with incorrect form, you will not become proficient at getting a bull's-eye---no matter how many times you draw the string back. Regardless of the activity, doing things incorrectly over and over again does not result in being transformed into doing things correctly. Practice does not make perfect.

Perfect practice makes perfect.

Yet, in our culture, we live our lives as if living wrong is the template for learning to do what is right. Whether trying to whitewash "baby daddy" syndrome or justifying vulgar, demeaning locker room talk, we have equated practicing with learning. Let me break it down: Doing something often is not necessarily equal to doing something right.

Scripture, always the plumb-line for the standard of perfection, teaches us that we learn right and wrong by the faithful practice of doing right. Hebrews 5:14 states it succinctly:

Learn right from wrong through the consistent practice of doing right.

This is not achieved by watching tutorials on YouTube or discussing options on Facebook. Whitewashing an action is not a substitution for doing it right.

Doing right is not a jingle for a yard sign slogan; it is a means to grow up. We become more mature and empowered to understand the deeper teachings of God. Look again at the verse:

"You will never be able to eat solid spiritual food and understand the deeper things of God's Word until you become better Christians, and learn right from wrong by practicing doing right." (TLB)

*Do you need to develop your ear to hear God? Exercise your "do right" muscles!

*Do you desire to know what is God's will? Exercise your "do right" muscles!

*Do you want to become experienced in God's ways? Exercise your "do right" muscles!

Like each of us, I have areas in need of a work out---some more impactful than others on my daily life. But if I cannot handle these things, how will I ever grow up into other areas of maturity? I want to learn right from wrong. I will learn it by practicing doing right today. Perfect practice makes perfect.