Week 31 | Listen, Learn, Apply

Have you ever noticed that some athletes listen, learn, and apply new skills and information faster than others? You can show some athletes a new skill or new play one time, and they are able to master it, and some seem to never master new information.

When I teach our athletes a new skill, I tell them, "In 6 months, some of us are going to have this mastered and will be using it in games, and some of us won't. The key is not being afraid to miss or fail. You are going to mess up 1,000 times before you get it right, so speed up the learning process by trying and messing up today."

Being able to listen, learn, and apply new information is a skill that every athlete should master.

This is a message that Jesus shared in the parable of the sower.

One day, Jesus went out of his house and sat beside the sea. When a large crowd gathered around him, he got in a boat, sat down, and started teaching the people on the beach. He told them:

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no roots. Other seeds fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seeds fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear." (Matthew 13:3-9)

He later explained himself:

"When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no roots, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." (Matthew 13:19-23)

Listen, learn, and apply. Have an ear to hear new information, learn new information, and apply new information.

THIS WEEK

1 - What is one thing that you have learned that was difficult and that you didn't know you would be able to master?

2 - When do you hear, learn, and apply new information the best?

3 - When do you struggle to hear, learn, and apply new information?

4 - What is one thing you do or need to do or overcome to do a better job of listening, learning, and applying new information?

Our Father, help me this week to have an ear to hear. Help me to hear important information, learn important information, and apply important information. In Jesus' name, Amen.

For a Google doc version of this, click here: Listen, Learn, and Apply