But each one should build with care. – 1 Corinthians 3:10
In a few months, I get to take a team of about 50 High School students and leaders down to Mexico to build some houses. I absolutely love this trip! I love seeing students work harder than they ever have before. I love helping them to get a glimpse of the way that much of the rest of the world lives. I love seeing them wake up exhausted at the crack of dawn every morning to go put in a full day’s work of service on their Spring Break! I absolutely love how this trip builds character in their lives! And as a Pastor, I really, really love being able to walk away from a finished house at the end of the week.
The truth is that I don’t actually get to finish too many things as a Pastor. I get the amazing opportunity to teach and guide people. I get to pour into people and to plan programs that help build people into disciples of Jesus who live in His way with His heart. I love that, but I almost never get to walk away from a finished project. All of us, myself included, are “works in progress.” So, that’s one of the reasons why walking away from a finished house is so satisfying for me.
However, every time I go, I’m reminded about a devastating story that a Youth Pastor friend told me about a similar trip that he took with his youth ministry. They did the same thing. They worked hard, they woke up early, they poured themselves into the project and finished a beautiful new house. However, as they were getting ready to leave, he told me that his entire team watched in horror as a crew of workers from the city came with a bulldozer and tore down the house they just built!
What happened? Well, apparently, the ministry that they were working with did not do their homework correctly. They did not have the correct building permits and the deed for the land hadn’t been finalized, so the entire project was destroyed!
I can’t imagine how demoralizing that would have been for a group of teenagers. However, the point is one that we need to remember when we are building into people spiritually. This is not a sprint! There is no need to rush the process. We must never take shortcuts when we are witnessing to people, when we are training them, and when we are helping to build disciples. We must “build with care.” There are no quick fixes for developing fully devoted disciples of Jesus. It takes time, it takes effort, and it is a team project. We need to work together as a church to build with care.
My question for you today is, are you a part of the team? What part can you play in building up people with care?
Josh Rose
Teaching Pastor