We Are Under Construction

Each of us are a work in progress:  our faith is under construction. Our faith journey is much like building a house.

Our Solid Foundation
What makes you different from everyone else? Your hair color? No, millions of people have your hair color. Your eye color? No. So what sets you apart? It’s your faith. But millions of people are ChristianY so how does that set you apart? Your faith is unique…some say as unique as a fingerprint. Your faith is the foundation of your life and the basis of your beliefs. Different people affected your faith, and obstacles that you have shaped your faith into what it is today.

Who/what helped to build your foundation in faith?

How has your foundation helped you grow? 

Structure

The structure of our faith is based upon our lives and the people in our lives. People are a large part of our journey as Christians. We have people in our life that build us up and some that bring us down. But either way, our peers shape us into the people we are. They help us build that structure. They are the support structuref our lives. You are surrounded by many people that have helped you build those walls of faith. Maybe a parent that has pushed you to follow Christ, maybe a youth director that has taught you something new, or maybe a friend that first took you to church….but no matter who it was, someone has changed your faith…someone has transformed your journey with Christ.

Who has helped you build those walls?

Upkeep

As a Christian, your faith can always improve. Improving and maintaining your faith is considered “upkeep.” Upkeep is crucial to maintaining a strong faith. Upkeep can be considered many things. It can be praying, reading the bible, going to church, or even attending a bible study. Just as you have to do upkeep on your house or it will get dirty or dingy, you have to do that with your faith. If you don’t, your faith will become frail.

In what ways do you need to work on your upkeep?

What things are you doing to help keep your faith strong?

Tools

We all know that tools are used to build things. Without tools, building would be quite difficult. This is true to our faith. Without certain tools, building our faith would be difficult as well. Our spiritual lives are full of tools to build and renew us.

What are some “tools” that help your faith grow?

Our Bible is a big “tool” that can help us grow spiritually. Oftentimes, this “tool” isn’t used…instead it is often put in a chest drawer or pushed under the bed. While this tool is valuable, many don’t use it. What can the Bible show us? The bible is God’s teachings. The Bible is an example for our lives that can encourage us and lead us in the right direction. How often do you spend time with the Bible?

Mission Trips are also a “tool” to renew our faith. No matter what, we can always return renewed and blessed.

This youth group or bible studied are also a “tool” for our faith. Youth group teaches community, love, and teaches each of us how to live in a way that pleases God.

Music can also be a wonderful “tool” in our faith. Each person feels God in a different way. For many, music is the best way to feel God.

What other “tools” in your life help to build your faith?

Landscaping

The landscaping is an important part of any structure. If a house has no landscaping and looks bad, we as humans are reluctant to enter. We often consider our “landscaping” our outward appearance. But our clothing and looks do not matter to God. But what landscaping does He care about? As Christians we need to SHOW others we are Christians by our love. We need to have the appearance of Christ. WE are His disciples. People need to know we are Christian by what they see…our “landscaping.” If we have bad “landscaping” others may be reluctant to join our Christian path. So what appearance are you showing? What does your landscaping look like? Are you one person at church and a totally different person on Friday night? What does your “landscaping” tell people? Our “landscaping” should be a shining example of Christ each day.



Being under construction means far more than being a work in progress. Just as building a house, our faith goes through a process. First, we have the foundation. As everyone knows, the foundation is possibly the most important part of a house. When you are building a house, you always start with the foundation. Without out one, the house will more than likely fall to pieces from the shifting ground. The foundation of our faith is much like the foundation of a house: it is extremely important. The shifting ground that is beneath us is considered “change” or “hard times” where we need that steady foundation in Christ to keep us on the right path.


Next comes the main structure of the house or the layout of our faith. In a house, the structure lays out each room and gives structure and support to the rest of the house. As we grow older, we build those structures in our faith. People are key to our structure in faith. People come and go in our lives, and mold us and change us to be the person we want to be—thus building those walls. Much like the foundation walls, the people in our lives help us to become the person we want to be…they help structure our lives. Just like in the prayer walk, people mold us in faith. People are models for faith, or even introduce us to our faith. We are constantly changing, and being changed. These walls help to keep us on the right path with God.


Finally, there are the finishing touches. The drywall comes, then the paint, then finally the decorations. This is stage in our faith that maybe we haven’t gotten to yet. This is when you’ve chosen God’s path. This is when you are strong in your faith, your foundation and support are there, and you are fully and whole-heartedly following Him. Our house is complete, right? Of course not! Now, the fixtures need to be updated, the walls need to be repainted, and the front door needs to be replaced. All of these “additions” and “repairs” and “upgrades” are considered upkeep. This upkeep happens in our faith as well—we have to continue working at our faith constantly—praying, reading the Bible, attending church—to continue to have a strong faith. Our analogy isn’t over yet—you may be quite clumsy…you may get hurt while building this house (you may smash your hand with a hammer.) And our faith can be like that too! Its life, we get hurt emotionally. But God is on our side to make everything right. You might not know how to build a house correctly—you may put the sheet rock on before installing the insulation. We often make mistakes in our faith, we sometimes mess up. But God died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. His GRACE covers our mess ups.


We also have tools. Tools are the basis of building a house. Without tools, our house would not withstand wind, much less the rain or more intense weather. Nails would have to be beat with our hands, and so on. Tools are important. Tools in our faith walk are important as well. Tools like our Bible, youth group, mission trips, people…they are all tools that build our faith.

Lastly we have the Landscaping. No matter what we think, our outward appearance is not our landscaping. Instead, our landscaping is how we show Christ. People should be able to know us by the way we act and by the way we love. Our appearance does matter, but not the way we look…instead the way we act.

We are all Under Construction. Our lives are a work in process. But, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Blessings, 

Faith