Building Stuff

I must confess to any of you who don’t know me well (as if there is more than one of you reading this), I am not a handyman with builders tools. I can hammer nails, I can use saws – assuming you don’t need anything cut straight, and I know how to read a tape measure (though normally I read it incorrectly). I am told, however, that a measurement of “32 inches and three or four or so of those little marks,” does not make a real builder happy.

So the fact that I am currently building (with the help of my friend Andy – when he bothers to show up) a railing for a second story landing in my barn is not without some consternation. I decided to use a series of PVC pipe standing upright between two 2x4s (I know this is highly technical language for some of you non-builders) for the rail, and I was confident it would not be all that difficult. In explaining it to my friend (on the phone) I mentioned that the process of building about three feet of the rail took several hours. As I said to him, the process included measuring, cutting, remeasuring, cutting again, remeasuring, and throwing away the piece already cut (too short), and starting over.

It reminds me of our Spiritual life. Well, the Spiritual life of most folks I know. We spend a lot of time starting over because we don’t know how to live obediently out of a growing llove for our Savior. Since God loves us perfectly and completely, we must learn from Him. I think John 10 (the Bible) is a good place to start. It is here that we learn His commitment to His “sheep.” I am not sure most of us have come to the place where we are ready to “lay down our life for Him,” even as He has done for us (see John 10:11). We want to hang on to so many things that keep us from a life completely dedicated to Him and His Kingdom. Sometimes it is the “good” things that we do or have (think family, job, Church, activities). Other times it is a carelessness about how we utilize our time. I am always happy to rediscover the reality that when I abandon everything else for my relationship with Him, He adds to my blessings, my understanding, my joy, and even my time. Over the years I have learned that “giving” to Him (time, talent, problems, and commitment to task) adds exponentially to all  those good things in my life.

Here’s the comparison (you thought I wouldn’t get here) – “measure twice (or three times), cut once.” I mean – give first place to Him in everything (for example: Pray twice [or more], act in accordance with the Truth) and it is likely your decision may well fit the circumstance correctly. It is amazing how quickly you can discover that your life will “come together” (just as it is supposed to) with greater speed and correctness.

Isn’t that what we are doing – building a life fit for the Master’s use?