“Practice makes perfect.” I am sure many of you have heard this at some point in your life. However, I tend to believe that this phrase sells us all short of our true potential. A soccer teammate of mine challenged this thought by stating Vince Lombardi’s philosophy: “perfect practice makes perfect.”

For Christian Scientists, this change is not an extreme one because we are continuously realigning our perfection with God. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, “Present your bodies a living sacrifice wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service, and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom 12:1, 2). In other words, our pursuit of practicing perfection, in every action, is to glorify God. This must be our aim.
So the challenge is upon us. We must execute perfect practice. But what does that mean? What does it mean to practice? Practice is the active pursuit and engagement in a particular interest. Practice is an action, not a block of time. It is typically seen through the effective repetition of one’s efforts to achieve the desired success. It is an activity whose purpose is to prepare us to conquer challenges and to maximize our performance.

Now I understand that the demand to perform to perfection is a strong commitment. I will be the first to admit that I am far from perfect. In my pursuit of perfection, sometimes I fall short. I do not have perfect class attendance, I have only made the academic dean’s list once, and as many of you witnessed, or heard, in the 2009 SLIAC conference semi-final soccer game I was the only player, out of nine, to miss a penalty kick- consequently ending my team’s season. In that moment, as the ball sailed over the top of the goal, I became paralyzed. How could this happen to me? For fifteen years I had dedicated countless hours practicing to be better so I could help my team succeed, and in one moment, it all seemed to end. But this was not the reality.

My failures only serve as an opportunity to learn more about my relationship with God. They do not define me. Each time I stumble, I get the opportunity to improve my practice. By demanding perfection – greatness – from myself on a daily basis, I have found the process gets easier. The result might not always manifest itself in the way I had originally envisioned, but there is always progress in pursuing perfection.
I apologize if I make too many sport references, but athletics have had such a huge impact on my life. One of the reasons I love athletics so much is because every game, every practice, and every moment provides me with a chance to make a choice, a conscious decision, about how I want to express perfection and overcome fear. I find that the principles learned through my athletic experiences apply to all aspects of my life. Regardless of the activity, I always have a choice about what my attitude will be.

Before one of my soccer games in 2007, I had a teammate tell me that it was my duty to perform at my highest level of potential. To strive for perfection and eradicate error. I was competing against myself, not an opponent. It was my duty to break down my own limitations and grow in my understanding as God’s reflection. And I needed to expect my opponent to be at his very best. From this approach to competition I witnessed that man serves as a direct expression of God. And what better way to practice perfection than by having a soccer field, basketball court, or classroom filled with individuals embodying perfect man and God’s divine qualities.

Mary Baker Eddy writes, “The standard of perfection was originally God and man.” She then asks the question: “has this standard changed?” I think we need to ask ourselves, are we less capable of practicing perfection today than we were yesterday? No! But we do need to hold each other -- and most importantly ourselves -- accountable to this standard and acknowledge the fact that we are all capable of demonstrating perfection.

I realize that up to this point my focus has been on the individual. This is because to me, the desire to maximize our greatest output must come from within. The desire to practice being better, being perfect, today more than we were yesterday, or an hour ago must be put into action, demonstration. But I want to make it clear that practice is not a selfish pursuit. Rather it is the removal of ego with the sole purpose, direction, and effectiveness to enhance our own experience and the experience of those around us. We must first find it within ourselves to commit to this selflessness before we benefit from our endeavors and the offerings of our community. The Principia community is full of opportunities to practice whatever activities or qualities we want to express. Whether it is athletics, student government, house activities, relationships, quiet time, class, music/dance/ theatre, and so forth we determine our experience. So let us practice perfection to make perfection because “perfect practice makes perfect.”