Discipline and Freedom

This week we have our annual Crispin Basketball School. It’s always a fun time, though it makes for a busier schedule than I am used to.  It’s also rather challenging as I am used to being the player, not the coach.  I have enjoyed it though.

One of the realities that I have continually tried to make plain to all the kids at our camp is that it is essential to discipline yourself in order to know the joy of free play.

In the basketball context, this means, put your energies into developing great habits during controlled basketball drills, so that when the game time comes, you can simply respond, simply play, simple clear your mind and enjoy the  game.  Be diligent with your practice time and your game time will be all the more enjoyable and hopefully, effective.

This lesson applies to all of life.  It’s one I need to remind myself of time and time again.  The pathway to true and lasting freedom is through diligence and discipline.  The clearest thinkers are those who have taken the time to read and think and write and read some more until they really know what they know.  The best basketball players are usually those who have been diligent with their practice time.  The best violinist is usually the one who has spent hours upon hours practicing by himself.  And on and on it goes.

Interestingly enough as well, this truth applies to living the Christian life.  Discipline is meant to bring true freedom.  Many people view Bible reading and and prayer and Church going and reading theological books as a bore or a burden, but that is because they don’t realize the freedom that is found in the exercise of such disciplines. That’s a shame, for both the Christian and everyone else.

We would all be a lot happier if we embraced the simple reality that the only pathway to true freedom is through the exercise of diligence and discipline.  In life, sports, work, play and whatever else.