Executing Properly a Handful of Fundamental Movements

When some people approach a task or an activity, whether carrying out a work assignment or planting a flower garden, they find themselves wanting to do everything just right, seeking to dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t’ perfectly. Their high standards and lofty intentions must be exhausting. On the other hand, there are those who prefer to do their work with half-hearted, just-enough-to-get-by efforts. They’re never going to win awards for their work ethic.

 

What about a “middle ground” – pursuing excellence, but not expecting to always squeeze perfection out of an imperfect human being? Recently in one of his radio messages, Alistair Begg mentioned a very insightful quote from legendary golfer Ben Hogan in his book, Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf.

Hogan played professional golf from the 1930s through the mid-1950s, winning nine major tournament championships, 64 PGA victories in all, and gaining renown for his ball-striking ability. But this hall of famer didn’t achieve all that with natural ability alone.

 

As the golf icon wrote in his book, “In 1946, my attitude suddenly changed. I would guess what lay behind my new confidence was this: I had stopped trying to do a great many things perfectly because it had become clear in my mind that this ambitious over-thoroughness was neither possible [or] advisable, [nor] even necessary. All that is really required to play good golf is to execute properly a relatively small number of true fundamental movements.” 

 

If golf is your passion, this might give you extra motivation. But even if it isn’t your thing – and it’s not mine either – the point Hogan made can apply to practically any area of life. 

 

As he wisely observed, the perpetual quest for perfection isn’t possible; it’s also inadvisable and unnecessary. There’s only one Person who was perfect in everything He did on earth, and we’re not Him. That makes Hogan’s main point all the more meaningful.

 

What do you spend a lot of time doing that you could improve upon, and even master, if you were to “execute properly a relatively small number of true fundamental movements”? Many of us tend to overcomplicate things, when proper execution of basic fundamentals is really all we need.

 

Let me offer a personal example. As I’ve mentioned before, after a lapse of many years, I decided to resume taking drum lessons. However, watching videos of accomplished drummers, I’ve been tempted to throw my sticks in the trash and forsake this hobby forever. I don’t anticipate having another 30-40 years to refine my skills. But the fact is, I can still enjoy playing drums as long as I learn how to properly execute a relatively small number of true fundamental movements – basic “grooves” and “fills” that can make even average drummers look good.

 

Before you stop reading, saying, “I care not one whit about drumming!”, let’s shift the focus to a much more important endeavor – the pursuit of spiritual growth.

 

If you’re a sincere follower of Jesus Christ, the thought might cross your mind occasionally, “I wish I were a spiritual giant, someone with a broad understanding and knowledge of the Bible who’s able to teach others how to grow. But I can’t compare with people I admire.” We’ve probably all been there at one time or another. 

 

But like golf and other worthwhile pursuits, spiritual growth also has a relatively small number of true fundamental movements. We just need to learn how to execute them properly. Let me offer some relatively simple suggestions:

 

Time in the Scriptures. Psalm 119:9-11 asks and answers an important question: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word…. I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” Learning and embracing biblical truth doesn’t come through osmosis. It requires intentional time reading the Bible, not just for information but for revelation, expecting God to speak to us through it.

 

Diligence in prayer. One of the shortest, yet most profound, verses in the Bible is 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing” – or if that’s too long for you, how about the NIV translation, “Pray continually.” Prayer, along with reading God’s Word, is how we communicate with the Lord – and how He communicates with us. We don’t need to be in a special place or pray only at a particular time. We can – and should – do it all the time, wherever we are.

 

Meeting with other believers. Hebrews 10:24-25 is a powerful reminder that being a faithful, fruitful follower of Jesus Christ doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s best accomplished as we interact with and receive encouragement from other believers. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” And what is that “Day”? The day of Christ’s return, which could be any moment.

 

Investing God’s blessings in others. When we think of giving, money is usually the first thing that comes to mind. The work of God needs financial support, and He uses His people as conduits for providing it. But we can also give of our time, as well as our talents and abilities. And we should do so joyfully. “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

 

You can probably think of some other “true fundamental movements” for growing in our walk with Jesus, but I think these would get anyone off to a good start.

Why Good Isn’t Good Enough

Imagine being at a restaurant and the server brings your favorite beverage, but before setting it down, as you’re watching, he spits into it. Hard to imagine, right? But think about it, how would you react? You might consider a number of options, but one thing you wouldn’t do is drink it. Right?

Consider another scenario. You’re starving. You haven’t had anything to eat all day, and finally arrive at a cafeteria that looks promising. But somehow, just before you take your first bite, you learn the food you’ve been served has been tainted accidentally with a pesticide. Despite your hunger, I’d bet you wouldn’t proceed to eat.

In both instances, scientifically speaking, the food and drink are probably 99 percent acceptable. If chemical analyses were performed, in terms of atoms and molecules, they would consist mostly of the drink ordered or the food served. But the remaining one percent – be it saliva or a poisonous substance – has spoiled the entire drink or meal, making it unacceptable and potentially lethal.

There's an important spiritual parallel. How many times have you heard someone say something like, “I consider myself basically a good person,” or, “God understands we’re not perfect. He’ll accept me because my good outweighs the bad.”

From a human perspective, that makes sense. It’s true, we’re not perfect. So it’s futile to expect perfection from ourselves or from others, whether at home, in the workplace, or anywhere else.

  

But God doesn’t judge according to “human perspective.” He has only one standard, and that’s perfection. For instance, Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:10 declares, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” In the Old Testament we read, “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). And Psalm 143:2 agrees, “no one living is righteous before you (God).” Harsh words, no doubt.

Does that mean that, according to the Bible, God sees everything we do as totally evil, utterly disgusting and without value? No, but like spit in a drink, or a dash of poison in food, sin – our failure to keep God’s laws and standards – taints all we do, making it unacceptable to God.

Christian theology offers the concept of “total depravity,” the belief that even our best thoughts, words and actions are contaminated by sin – selfishness, pride, self-sufficiency, and other impure motivations.

Jeremiah 17:9 explains, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”  In other words, even when we’re doing good things, can we be certain we’re doing them for the right reasons?

In human relationships, when we mess up we can apologize, ask forgiveness, and try to salve the harm done by doing good – buying gifts or flowers, performing chores without being asked, planning a nice evening out to help heal the wounds. Outweigh the bad with good. Offer the “nobody’s perfect” plea.

Heaven and earth - where divine perfection
and human imperfection collide.

But God has already judged our performance and, to borrow an educational term, we’ve flunked the course. No matter how much good we do, in terms of earning His favor it’s about as effective as trying to rinse off rotten meat with water and serving it for dinner.

So what’s the solution? If this is true, is there no hope? Yes, there is. But we have to fall back on the plea men, women and children have uttered through the centuries: “Lord, have mercy!” As Titus 3:5 tells us, “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

That passage brings up another term that people outside the Christian tradition find problematic: “Washed in the blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ).” Sounds yucky, doesn’t it? But it’s a proper, biblical term describing Christ’s crucifixion, shedding His own blood and offering purification for the sins of mankind. In Revelation 7:14 we find this description: “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Hard for the human mind to conceive, but from God’s perspective, that is the only solution to the dilemma of sin pollution, the “total depravity” that otherwise disqualifies us from entering God’s perfect and holy kingdom.