Have you seen the new Karate Kid? There is a scene where  the Kung Fu master tells the boy, “Hang up your coat, take off your coat, drop your coat, pick up your coat.” And repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Not until many days and hours of repetition later did the kid realize the brilliance of the master’s strength, discipline, and character building.

When you are working on mastery, praise and criticism are inevitable. But also irrelevant.

Look to the Master. Let His voice alone be your teacher. Walk through your circumstances with an eye on what He is training in you. Don’t aim for a gold star. Aim for being like the Master. That’s sure His goal…

“A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”  Luke 6:40

Lord, I want You to be my first and foremost teacher. I want to submit to Your training, I want to work for Your loving praise alone. Thank You that You are working all things to make me more like you. Amen