Having the depth

There was a ten year old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn’t understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move. And the boy felt that he should be learning more moves. But the master told him: "This is only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know”. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.
Several months later, the master took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match.

Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be over-matched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the master intervened. “No,” he insisted, “Let him continue.” Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake; he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him and won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy asked his master: “How did I win the tournament with only one move?” “You won for two reasons,” the master answered. “First, you’ve almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defence for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm.”
The boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength because his roots went down deep as he mastered that one technique. Many of us have done a lot and achieved many things in life. But unless we have mastered the one that is the most important we shall remain shallow. That is why so many Christians break down when they face trials and tribulations; they quit when it gets tough: it is because they have shallow root systems. A shallow Christianity simply cannot survive times of trouble. That is why the Bible teaches us to “keep hold of the deep truths of the faith” (1 Timothy 3:9). That is why Paul prayed that the Ephesians would be “rooted and established in love” (Eph. 3:17).