New Monmouth Musings: Be Careful How You Build


Dear Family,

I often sign my letters with a biblical verse, and the verse I use is Colossians 3:17. For me it is a reminder of the importance of striving to do and to give my very best in all I do. Whatever I do, I want it to have value. Whatever I produce, I would like to think I could present to Jesus without embarrassment. Paul writes in Colossians 3:17 “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”


What kind of work will you leave behind when you exit this earth? What will people say about its quality? Will people remember you as one who always gave his/her best? Are you one who will be known because you go out of your way to serve others? Will they say of you, he/she was a person who could be counted on to be on time, to honor commitments, to give his/her best?


In 1 Corinthians, Paul reminds us that we have a choice when it comes to how we build our lives. We can use wood, hay, and stubble, or we can use gold, and silver and precious stones as we build the foundation which has been laid in Jesus Christ. Jesus laid the foundation. He is the expert builder who warns us that “each one of us should be careful how he builds….for our work will be shown for what it is, because the day will bring it to light.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-13


Maybe the following story will be a reminder to each of us of the importance of the life we are constructing, as we daily labor for the Lord. An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. He and his wife would plan to get by on what his retirement income would be. The contractor was very sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work, and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house, “he said. “It is my gift to you.”
And so it is with us. We are daily building our lives and what we create is a pretty clear revelation of who we are. When we do not give our very best, we create a picture for others that says he/she is a shoddy workman. I don’t want that said about me, and neither do you.
Our life today is the result of the attitudes and the choices we have made in the past. Our life tomorrow will be the result of our attitudes and the choices we make today. Let’s make sure that the choices we make are the best choices and the materials we use are of the best quality, so that when our work is revealed people will say, “Wow, what a masterpiece!”


“Let’s be careful how we build”.


Yours in faith and friendship,
Pastor Tom