An elderly carpenter was approaching retirement. He told
his employer, a building contractor, of his plans to leave the house building
business and live a more leisurely life with his wife and family. He
would certainly miss the paycheck, but desperately needed to
retire. Somehow, they would get by.
His employer was quite sorry to see such a good worker leaving the
business and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor to
him. The carpenter said “yes,” but his
heart was no longer in his work. He lost his enthusiasm and resorted
to shoddy workmanship and inferior materials. It was an unfortunate
way to end a truly productive career.
When the carpenter finished his work and his boss came to inspect
the new house, the contractor handed the front door key to the
carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my gift to a wonderful
employee!”
What a shock and what a shame! If that carpenter had
only known he was building his own house, he would have constructed it very
differently. Now he had to spend his retirement years in an edifice
he had built none too well.
So it is with us. We can build our lives in rather
distracted ways, reacting rather than acting, often willing to give (and
accept) far less than our best. At important points, we may not
invest maximum effort. Then, with ironic shock, we look at situations we have created and find
we now live in houses we’ve built for
ourselves. If we had only realized, if we only been wide
awake, we would have done it all quite differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your
house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a
wall. Build wisely. It
is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live in it for
only one more day, that day deserves to be lived with growing godliness and
grace. Consider this. Your life today is the result of every attitude
and choice that makes up your past. And your life tomorrow will be
the result of all the attitudes and actions you exemplify today. In
the words of the prophet Haggai…:
Haggai 1:7-8
7 Thus saith the Lord of
hosts; Consider your ways.
8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take
pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.
My friends, you and I are the spiritual temples of God, so we
belong exclusively to Him. (I Corinthians 6:19)
To wit, each of us is issued a divine directive to “take heed how” we
are building. (I Corinthians 3:10) As we
traverse the days of this life, let us maintain a heavenly focus and resolve to
build wisely to maximize God’s plans and purposes.
Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all
else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!
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