The Wrong Kind of Expert - Joni and Friends

Joni and Friends Daily Devotional   

The Wrong Kind of Expert

"They never stop sinning...they are experts in greed."    
2 Peter 2:14
 
I have vivid memories of what it was like to play hockey, ride a horse, and swing a tennis racquet. When it comes to tennis, my mom was my best coach. She possessed great finesse and tried to pass good ball-and-racquet skills on to me. But I was a stubborn learner.
 
I recall my backhand. I thought I was doing pretty good, but my wrist was bent, my grip was wrong, and my body position wasn't square with the net. In other words, I had gotten very good at doing something very bad. Through hours of practice away from the coaching eye of my mother, I became an expert in poor backhand.
 
Have you gotten proficient at doing something very wrong? Peter in his epistle talks about people who practice doing the wrong thing and become experts in sin. They train themselves that way--with years of practice. We need to train ourselves to do the right thing. Paul tells Timothy to train himself to be godly. He says, "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8).
 
As you live, day in and day out, you are either practicing godliness or selfishness. It has been said, "Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, and reap a character." If you want to do what is right, then you had better train yourself in godliness. That means practice--every day. Remember, others are watching! "Let us, therefore, make every effort... so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:11).
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Don't get good at doing something wrong. Instead, make a choice today to live right. Train yourself to be godly.
 
Father God, You know how easily I fall into bad habits in my thoughts, heart, and actions. Show me how to break one habit and how to learn a godly one. Keep me from letting selfishness reign. Amen

Blessings,
 
Joni and Friends
www.joniandfriends.org