Be a Wise Builder
Aug 14, 2022 2938
We’re all building something, so be a wise builder!
One of the many things that impressed me about my father is that he could fix or build anything. Despite never having finished primary school, he was gifted with an innate ability with his hands. Whether it was a broken toy or an extension to the house, he did it all.
Sadly, I never inherited my father’s ability with his hands, and have always regretted it.
However, I’ve realised that in an important way, I’m a builder too. In fact, we’re all builders! Whether we are doing it intentionally or not, we’re building a life, we’re all building influence, we’re all building a legacy.
If you think about your life, you’ll notice that you’ve been constantly changing. You have made intentional decisions that have changed your life. You have often also, usually unconsciously, reacted to circumstances in your life, and that has changed you too.
What kind of building are you building?
In this way, you have been building your life. The question is, what kind of building are you building?
There are people in life who seem to be just along for the ride. I think that it’s really important to enjoy the ride, however, it’s always best if you’ve worked out where you want to head in life, and what you need to do to get there.
If we’re builders, then we should be intentional builders. That’s what Jesus was talking about when he asked,
Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? (Luke 14:28.)
If you are going to be a wise builder of your life, you know there is a cost. This side of eternity, you will not be able to have everything you want. You will need to sacrifice some things for the sake of achieving others. You will have to make careful use of your time and energy, because both of these resources will always be in limited supply until Christ’s kingdom is fully revealed.
However, perhaps even more importantly, it is crucial that you have a solid base for your life. With what, or whom is your life aligned? For what or whom will you take a stand? What are the principles that will direct your steps? There are few things more powerful on this earth than a person who knows who they are and what they are about.
Jesus spoke about this when he said,
Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (Matt. 7:24–27, NLT; See also 1 Cor. 3:10.)
A wise builder will build a house on solid rock. That solid rock is Jesus and his word.
Every building in the ancient world had a cornerstone. This was selected by the builders as being the best-cut and strongest stone, as it would support the weight of the building.
It was important to choose the right cornerstone, as the foundation of your building. In the same way, it is important to choose the right foundation for your life. Jesus invites us to make him the foundation of our lives.
Be a wise builder and make Jesus the foundation of your life.
The challenge is that most people reject Jesus as the foundation. Instead, they choose wealth or power, of fundamentally just “self” as the foundation of their lives. This is what Jesus was talking about when he said,
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
11 This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see’ (Mark 12:10–11, NLT.)
God still has his “builders” today. Like back then, the “builders” today too often reject Jesus as the cornerstone.
We are God’s builders. We are building God’s building (1 Cor. 3:9.) We are building much more than just a “legacy”, just a vague memory of who we were. God plan is that as God’s “building,” we will live forever, fulfilling our eternal potential in him.
Moment by moment, day by day, we are building our lives, either a living and eternal monument to the love of God, or a self-centred, foundationless shack that will be swept away in the storms of life.
I hope you are a wise builder. I hope you are building something that will last. Be a wise builder and make Jesus the foundation of your life.
Naturinda Deus
Sep 6, 2022
Thanks for the message, I would like to know how can I build a good life based on Christ centered that many may admire and accept Christ as their savior?
Eliezer Gonzalez
Sep 6, 2022
Naturinda, one of the most important thing in any relationship is to listen to the other person and to get to know them. Get to know who God is like by studying the life and teachings of Jesus. Make time for him in your life. - Grace and Peace, Eliezer