“According to Hoyle”

 

 

 

 

 

When I was a kid my family played a lot of card games. Gin, Rummy, and that kinda thing. It was a lot of fun, and helped us learn strategy and how to follow the rules. Of course every card game has rules, cuz without rules no one knows what to do and there can’t be a winner. And in case you’re wondering, Hoyle was a man who wrote a lot of the rules for various card games, and the phrase “According to Hoyle” has come to refer to the way things should be done.

At Whole Armor Martial Arts we have a lot of rules too, although we usually use the term “Etiquette” instead. And if you’re not sure about that word, etiquette is simply using the right behavior for whatever setting you find yourself.

Truth is, we all act differently in different settings don’t we. We act one way when we’re at work or school, another way when we’re hangin out with friends, another way at church etc etc etc. Now that’s not a bad thing, each environment simply has a different set of rules or etiquette, and once we know what those are, we know how to act and can relax be comfortable.

So in the martial arts it’s a lot of bowing and using proper titles and things like that. And those are very important, because following proper etiquette makes you always think about what you’re doing and how you’re doing it, and that keeps you focused, and that keeps you safe. For me, etiquette is also the glue that holds everything together and puts the “art” into martial arts. Without etiquette you just have “martial” and resulting chaos.

It does get funny sometimes too. For example, a parent will sit and watch as they bring their child to class for months or even years, until they finally decide that they want to get in on the benefits of training so they join as well. That’s great! However that also often means that as a beginning student, now their child is higher in rank and the parent bows to the child and calls them “Sir” or “Ma’am”! Talk about awkward!  Ha ha!

It even happens to me too. Recently I’ve had two students join who are friends of mine outside of class. And one of the things I have to help them with is getting used to a new “dual-relationship” that we need to have in order to maintain proper etiquette. So when in class or talking to me about Karate stuff they need to call me “Sir” and use all the proper respect. And that can be kinda weird and difficult for them to get used to, but it’s all part of what makes our training work.

Ya know God has rules and etiquette too. In 1 Corinthians 14:40 we read, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” The Bible tells us all kinds of things that help us understand the way God wants us to act in different settings. And its only as we learn and apply them that we can experience everything that He intends for each of us.

So in your training be sure to know and follow the etiquette, even when sometimes it’s awkward or uncomfortable. Because you can bet that there is a purpose and it really is helping you to grow.

And much more importantly, spend time in Gods Word every single day learning His rules and etiquette. Because as you live His way, no matter what’s going on, you can have that peace that passes all understanding in the middle of this crazy world of ours, and what a blessing that is!