Faith, Fundamentals, and Free-Throws

As I mentioned in my last post, we discussed the importance of keeping first things first in our Life After College Bible study the other night! In other words, it's crucial we keep the fundamentals of the Christian faith if we wish to remain spiritually stable as we transition through the not-so-stable stages of life. Do the little things, because they end up being the big things! They add up; they get BIGGER! 

As always, my mind naturally began comparing this to basketball. Specifically, shooting a free-throw. If you're unfamiliar with what fundamentals are, they are "central or primary rules or principles on which something is based." In other words, fundamentals are fundamental. They are "of central importance" and necessary to master if you wish to be the best you can be. How does this relate to shooting a free-throw, you ask?

You see, free-throws play a significant role in basketball games, especially close games. Many games are lost at the line because a player failed to make their free-throws after getting fouled just seconds before the clock ran out of time. Free-throws can often be the difference between wearing a jersey for the last time and moving on to the next round of playoffs or better yet, the state championship. I cannot stress the importance of free-throws enough! In order to be a successful free-throw shooter, however, you must do the little things and stick to the fundamentals. Assuming you already know how to shoot, free-throws require focus, practice, and routine. 

1) Free-throws require FOCUS because you want a player who is mentally tough and able to block out anything that may be distracting while they're at the line (those loud-mouthed mothers on the other team, for example) as they focus solely on putting the ball in the net. 

2) You must practice, practice, PRACTICE! You're not going to become a successful free-throw shooter overnight. It takes time. You have to put in the effort because if you don't practice, you don't get better...and the more you practice, the better you become!

3) It's vital you develop a routine. It's all about consistency! Be consistent. You must repeat the same process every time you step up to the free-throw line. 

Just as it's important to remember the fundamentals of shooting free-throws, we must also remember to keep the fundamentals of the Christian faith and do the little things, for it's the little things that have the potential to make a big difference in our day. This, too, requires focus, practice, and routine!

1) As Christians, we need to remain focused on Christ and seek to block out distractions that may keep us from knowing Him more, whether that be getting out of a relationship that doesn't honor the Lord or memorizing Bible verses to say to ourselves when our thoughts aren't God-honoring. He should be our main focus in everything we do!
2) In order to further develop our relationship with Christ, we must be practicing Christlike characteristics! I touched on this more in my post Practice Makes Permanent if you'd like to check it out! Keeping the fundamentals of the Christian faith takes effort. Be willing to do the work! 

3) Just as shooting a free-throw requires routine, so does being a Christian. In my three years at Texas A&M, I have witnessed firsthand the difference being in God's word every single day can make. Reading the Gospel and seeking to know Him on a deeper level should be a routine and something we do religiously. It's a daily devotion that includes getting to know Him more, obeying Him, abiding in Him, etc. This requires consistency! The more consistent you are, the more confident you can be! 

When you stick to the fundamentals of shooting free-throws, you don't falter. You rarely miss. When you do miss, you're able to quickly correct yourself (use yours legs, follow through, etc.) because you're so familiar with your shot. In the same way, when you stick to the fundamentals of the Christian faith, you don't falter. You can stand firm when trouble comes your way. Because you're spiritually stable, you can be confident in yourself during times of transition (graduating college, per se) and can adjust yourself accordingly. As I mentioned earlier, the little things turn out to be the big things that make all the difference! Remember, fundamentals are fundamental. Keep first things first!