Are You a Builder or a Wrecker?

As I watched them tear a building down
A gang of men in a busy town
With a ho-heave-ho, and a lusty yell
They swung a beam and the side wall fell

I asked the foreman, “Are these men skilled,
And the men you’d hire if you wanted to build?”
He gave a laugh and said, “No, indeed,
Just common labor is all I need.”

“I can easily wreck in a day or two,
What builders have taken years to do.”
And I thought to myself, as I went my way
Which of these roles have I tried to play?

Am I a builder who works with care,
Measuring life by rule and square?
Am I shaping my work to a well-made plan
Patiently doing the best I can?

Or am I a wrecker who walks to town
Content with the labor of tearing down?
“O Lord let my life and my labors be
That which will build for eternity!”

This is a powerful reminder that we should engage in our work, whatever that may be, in a way that honors the presence of God in our life. It is like a certain downtown businessman I read about who became fond of the little boy who often shined his shoes. He did such a good job that one day the businessman asked him, “Son, how come you are so conscientious about your work?” The boy felt complimented. He looked up and said, “Mister, I’m a Christian and I try to shine every pair of shoes as if Jesus Christ were wearing them.”

The businessman saw something genuine in the shoeshine boy. Soon after that he began reading his Bible. When the businessman decided to commit his life to Christ, he credited his decision to the little boy who shined every pair of shoes “as if Jesus Christ were wearing them.” This is my prayer for all of us this Labor Day!

I wanted to let you know that over 70 people have registered for our Lenten Pilgrimage to the Holy Land and we still have some seats left if you would like to join us on the journey. Pick up a brochure at the Welcome Center in the main sanctuary narthex. Or you can go to asburyonline.wpengine.com/holyland for the registration form, trip resources, and complete itinerary. Our next information session will be held on Sunday, September 16th at 6:30 p.m. in Room 144. From questions about the destinations to knowing what to pack on your journey, Trip Representative Pam Holton will be available for all those detailed questions and I’ll also be there to talk a bit about how visiting the Holy Land will undoubtedly impact your faith.

Tonight, at 6:30 p.m., will be the final session in the 2018 Summer Institute of Religious Studies. I hope you will join me as we continue our exploration of alternative faith perspectives as we consider the Christadelphians. The Institute meets in the gym. If you registered for dinner beforehand, it begins at 5:00 p.m. Asbury Kids Town and RESET activities will be held and childcare for infants and toddlers is also available.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in worship as I continue my current sermon series Did You Get My Text? Decoding Some of the Most Misunderstood Stories in the Bible.

Rev. Dr. Kip Laxson