November 11th, 2019

An anonymous writer penned these insightful words.

“I saw them tearing a building down,
a group of men in a busy town.

With a hefty blow and a lusty yell,
They swung with zest,
and the sidewall fell.
I asked the foremen,
“are these men skilled?

He looked at me, and laughed,
“no, indeed!

Unskilled labor is all I need.
Why, they can wreck in a day or two,
What has taken builders years to do.”

I asked myself, as I went my way,
which of these roles have I tried to play?

Am I a builder with rule and square,
measuring and constructing with skill and care?

Or am I the wrecker, who ruins the town,
content with the business of tearing down?”

“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”

— James 3:16 (NIV)

Lord Jesus, make me a builder and not a wrecker. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.