Day 24: Rooted In Love

Ericsson's research pointed out another important factor toward mastery beyond simply doing lots of repetitions. He realized that the practice must be “deliberate practice.” The often overlooked factor in training for mastery is having a skilled teacher/mentor to help the student focus on the right challenges at the right time. If you spend 10,000 hours repeating a behavior, all you get is a habit. Perhaps a bad habit. We need something more to foster mastery...someone more. Deliberate practice is key, and a good teacher helps you to practice the most important parts of the skill you aim to learn.

2 Pet 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence; to excellence, knowledge; 6 to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; 7 to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love. (NET)

In a progression that culminates in “unselfish love,” Peter insinuates that it will take some “effort.”

Peter also emphasizes setting one's sights on “excellence.” (Note, this word could be translated “virtue”). To achieve excellence, what effort should we expect to invest? Excellence never sounded trivial to me. But, in the new light of Ericsson's comments, I'm driven to new questions regarding how our faith should grow over time:

How would one practice diligently in order to get better at faith? Is it any easier to imagine deliberate practice in knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, or brotherly affection?

Who is the best available teacher to guide me in this pursuit of mastery (mastering any of the skills in 2 Pet 1:5-7)?

Why is unconditional love listed as the apparent pinnacle by Peter, but Christ put forth the challenge to even His fledgling disciples? (Matt 5:44-48)

I'm leaving the first question as a thought and discussion opportunity for now.

In regards to the second, ponder the relevance of John 14:15-25.

When pondering the third, I imagined how I would counsel a novice who wants to become a great mountain climber one day. After only a few outings, he's looking for opportunities to visit the Himalayas. I imagine I'd say something like, “Don't expect Everest now…climb the local peaks which you are ready for. God will open doors to higher peaks as you mature. After you find yourself climbing these familiar peaks with ease, then look for next-level opportunities that God has specifically prepared for you. But, never compromise your passion for Everest. You're a mountain climber the moment you set foot on your first mountain.”

To love unconditionally will take a lot of growth. At the same time, love is the very root of our growth. Do you have a “training plan” where you can practice love...and eventually get better at it?

Anders Ericsson was a Swedish psychologist who, along with Jacqui Smith, studied what it takes to become an “expert” in a broad range of domains. Their findings are often summarized as “it takes about 10,000 hours to master complex skills.” I've historically used the principle to challenge people toward investing their time wisely because one only has so many 10,000 hour blocks of time to invest. (That's about five solid working years). Investing time well remains a good challenge to discuss…for another day. I've been aware of the “rule of 10,000 hours” for some time, but I never made an important connection until I listened to the original authors describe the observations that led to the rule.

Interdependent