What are you building with?

Some years ago I decided to write a book. The central theme of the book was to be what I find a very challenging passage in the first letter of Paul to the church in Corinth. Basically, Paul is asking his readers to consider what they are building with their lives. From The Message translation, here are his words:

'Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you'll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won't get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn't, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won't be torn out; you'll survive - but just barely.'

Paul reminds his readers that one day we will all have to present our lives before God. The big question we all face is: what am I building with my life? Is it something which will stand the test?

We have witnessed in recent weeks the terrible devastation wreaked by earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan. An event like that really does test the integrity of buildings in the earthquake zone. Some building have been specially designed to withstand earthquakes. Those that had not been so designed had little chance of remaining upright.

From time to time the passage from Paul's letter comes to mind, and I ask myself again whether what I am building with my life is worthy of placing before God. I know that God is not impressed by many of the values which are so cherished by our society today (wealth, power, status, possessions etc). What God wants is that we live lives which reflect the character of Jesus.

I was so impressed by the words of Helen Roseveare (see pic.) on Songs of Praise on 13th March. Helen served in Africa for many years, and at one time was arrested and beaten. Yet love shines from her face. She felt called to serve in Africa because at an early age she had "fallen in love with Jesus", and wanted to share that love with people in great need. At the end of the interview she said these words: "You should give the whole of your life to serve the Lord. There's nothing else worth doing. And when you get to the end, nothing else will count except what was done for him."

Such challenging words. Why waste time on things which ultimately don't count?

(Sadly, the book never did get written, but maybe one day!)