Monday's Important Things

"The one who is interested in gaining knowledge is asking questions!"

Part One: Goodness

2 Peter 1:5-8
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. "

You have to start with goodness, concern for the good of all. Without it, anything else will get lost in the void of selfishness. But it is not enough to stay stagnant, maturity is about learning and growing. And learning is the very next step. To your goodness, add knowledge.

For faith, knowledge can go two ways. There is knowledge of what God is doing, who God is, how God acts and then there is knowledge of how we fit into that. Because God created the world and is constantly working to caress the world back into God's original intent, we need to have knowledge of what that intent is and how we can work with God to bring it about.

This is why we read the Bible, this is why we practice spiritual disciplines like prayer and silence, this is why we go to a church service and listen to a sermon.

We are a people called to learn and know.

In knowing the ways that God works, we find confidence in our own lives. We start to know what we are supposed to be doing, and we can find our purpose in that. But this never happens if we stay ignorant. If we don't seek knowledge of God, we will always be pushed around by whatever immediate interests there are at hand, by our own selfish desires, by the devious control of others. Only in knowing can we stand firm with purpose.

And it's the same in tennis, knowledge gives confidence. It allows you to know that you really are doing what is best, as determined by the work not only of yourself, but thousands of coaches and players over decades. When you know the right form, you can be confident that your thousands of serves hit in that form are taking you toward something better. When you line up your aggressive short ball and pound it crosscourt, you know that this strategy has been developed through years of learning, testing, thinking and practicing.

It gives you something firm, a plan with which to attack, instead of just flying by the seat of your pants. Knowledge creates a framework for you to work and build within.

So, whatever area of life, we should be pursuing knowledge. But what does that look like, how can we know if we are pursuing knowledge? That's pretty simple, the one who is interested in gaining knowledge is asking questions! Asking questions is key to maturing and growing as a player and a person.

Daniel Buschert is the king of asking questions. He'd miss a shot and immediately want to know what he did wrong. He'd lose a point in a challenge match and ask me what he should have done. He'd come to practice wondering what lineups were going to be like, what Jared had to do to beat Jonny on a consistent basis, what conditioning exercise the team needed to do better on... he asked a ton of questions.

Because he wanted to improve. He never settled for just where he was. Questions indicate desire.

So, what are you asking questions about? Your grip, your swing, your strategy, your faith?

We will be a team that desires to know. We will be a team that asks questions. And because of this knowledge, we will have a framework of faith, form and strategy upon which we will grow.