Practicing Faith
Sheila Abio
The Rev. David Madison invites us to reflect on what it means to “practice” faith. A musician practices. An athlete practices. A doctor practices medicine. In each case, the word carries a quiet truth: I am not finished; I am still becoming. Practice requires both commitment and humility.
Young children understand this naturally. They repeat stories, redo puzzles, and try new skills with eagerness because practice builds confidence and joy. In the same way, they practice faith every day, through curiosity, kindness, and care for others.
At school, this looks like learning values through Bible stories, singing about God’s love, wishing absent friends well at circle time, sharing with those in need, comforting a friend, or asking endless “why” questions in search of understanding. These small, everyday moments are acts of faith in motion.
As Madison reminds us, the goal is not to produce students who have mastered faith with the right answers, but to nurture spiritual curiosity and a willingness to sit with mystery. That kind of faith is lived, not performed.
Each day, we practice faith together by sharing, listening, problem-solving, and honoring both our differences and our connections. Faith formation takes time. We are not called to perfect faith, but to practice it honestly, imperfectly, and in community.
And perhaps that is true for all of us: showing up, still becoming, trusting that the practice itself is the point.