“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)
Searching for a good analogy to help develop consistency on the part of believers, I found an article published by the Gymnastics Zone in 2010 that provided transferable tips to help you and me to stay on the straight and narrow path of righteousness.
Quoting the article, it says, “Since balance beam is probably the easiest event to fall off of, it makes sense that extra and special training be devoted to minimizing the potential for falling and to teach gymnasts how to perform no-fall beam routines.”
What a parallel for us! For it makes sense that we not only need training, but extra training, and special training in the word of God, diligently studying, and with much devotion to avoid not fallings, but failings during the course of our daily routines through life. The Lord is able to keep us from falling.
The Gymnastic Zone article suggested the following, “Learn the Basics of Balance,” “Build Solid Balance Habits,” “Practice Skills Regularly,” “Train First or Train Later, But Train Balance,” and after training one would experience “Beam Success and Consistency.” I imagine that gymnasts on the quest for a perfect “10” train regularly, vigorously, repeatedly, and endlessly until they retire from their sport. And even then, they continue to coach new and upcoming gymnasts.
Can we make this relevant to us? We need to learn the basics of the word of God. We need to build Bible study habits in order to master the “beam” called the straight and narrow path of righteousness. We cannot only attend Sunday School, Bible Study, Group Bible-based, age-based, gender-based sessions and engage in personal Bible study when we feel so moved. We cannot only attend recovery classes, revival services, and rare home Bible studies with family members, but we have to take what we learn and practice it regularly. Thank God, unlike the gymnast who has to perform solo on the beam, we have help on our “beam,” the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, we must train first and train later. In other words whether we are young or old, but it is that training, in the word of God, rightly dividing the word of truth “training” that will give us “beam” success and we will consistently get better on the narrow path of righteousness. There is another difference between the gymnasts and God’s children. We can never retire. In this life we must continually strive for perfection; continuously make perfect progress to be like our Father in Heaven. However, still being like the gymnasts, we must coach new and upcoming “gymnasts,” better referred to as new disciples.
Take all this in! Train and workout! Transform your life on the “beam!” Minimize your failings! Make up with God and get back on the “beam” if you have a failing or should I say when you do have a failing! And then continue to master the “beam.” Now don’t make a pledge to start this next week or on some future date that will never materialize as it keeps getting pushed out, postponed. Start today, Wednesday, March 23, 2022! You can do it! Be blessed!
“Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48 NASB)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King