Practice

For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Matthew 25:29).

Parable of the Talents (Mironov)

I am currently trying to learn a new way of communicating with my teenage children.

This is new to me.  While other mothers might find these sorts of changes easy and obvious, for me they can be simply overwhelming.  I have found – over the last few years – that as my children grow in independence, I am required to modify the way that I communicate with them to ensure that while their needs are met, I am also able to allow them to feel empowered.

This is literally a new skill for me to learn, and like any new skill it takes a lot of time and effort for me to learn how to master this skill.  I find that sometimes I come close to getting it right, and other times, I am so far in the wrong direction that I am sure that I am doing more harm than good.

The most important thing about learning this new skill – or any new skill – is to start implementing that skill without fear of failure.  If I were to sit by and wait and do nothing in case I might make a mistake, then I would do nothing at all.  So, instead, I find myself pushing onwards and sort of scrambling through the job.  Things that were initially too hard for me to attempt become easier.  Mistakes fuel learning and I become stronger at the task and there are fewer mistakes.

And I have been reflecting on this as I have been reflecting on the work of PRACTICE.  You see, there is a great deal of effort involved in ensuring that I practice.  It is in fact the one thing that I can offer – that practice.  I cannot guarantee that the work will be exceptional.  I cannot guarantee that the work will be rewarding.  I cannot guarantee that the work will be pleasing to God.  But I can guarantee that I will try.

“Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’…  He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’  But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?  Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.  So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.  For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Matthew 25:19-29).

And those are strong words – to the one who was to scared to try the Master said, “wicked and slothful servant”…  How strong the condemnation of the servant who never practiced.  How terrible the loss – losing what little he had because he never tried to do better or be stronger or work harder.

And I bear this in mind today as I think about the practice of my Christian life.  And I wonder if I have invested my “talents” or simply buried them in the ground?  And it seems to me that the only test will be my practice – over and over and over again – my practice to be a good Christian, worthy of my Beloved.

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.