When I was in Jr. High, we had 36 acres near Waco. We had 15 to 20 cattle, and Dad decided to build a barn. There were two old, dilapidated houses on the property. I saw pathetic structures ready to be burned; my father saw lots of free lumber—seasoned 2x4s and 1x12s.
To build our new barn, we used the lumber from the old houses. So, I got firsthand experience with tearing down and building up. In the process, I learned some life lessons.
Tearing down was easier and much faster than construction. We tore down the houses with a chain, a tractor, crowbars, and hammers. We built with saws, hammers, a level, a framing square, and posthole diggers.
Did you notice the hammer is on both the tearing down list and the building up list?
We each have a tool we can use to build up or tear down: our tongue. We can tear people down or build them up with our words. The wrong word at the wrong time can do tremendous harm. The right word at the right time can do great good.
We are living in a tear-down world. In this fallen world, things naturally deteriorate. There is a gravitational pull downward on us. We do not need to be tearing others down but rather building them up.
We are dispensers of the Good News. Spend the day looking for opportunities to build others up. Be a blesser. Partner with the Holy Spirit to voice His encouraging words to others. In fact, ask Him if you need to go out of your way to edify someone today.
Leave a Reply