I was engrossed in his process. The bricklayer would plop down some mortar, spread it out in a single stroke, press the brick into it and then lay a leveling tool across that brick and the brick before it to be sure it stayed level. He scraped off any residual mortar and did the whole thing again for the next brick. Row after row this routine continued. The bricklayer never moved forward until he knew the brick he just placed was completely level. The rows of brick were completely balanced and looked amazing.
I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to “eyeball” things. If things look level or balanced to me, my brain tries to convince me that it is. That may work every once in a while, but not consistently. Over time, we begin to see that we’re no longer level.
What if we lived our lives like the bricklayer? We would step out on faith, apply our skills and talents, check to make sure we still align with God’s word, discard anything that isn’t necessary to move forward, and then do it again. It seems so simple and yet we don’t follow the process.
Without constantly checking for level, we begin to veer off course. Our lines get uneven and soon we realize that we’re no longer going in the same direction we started in. My own judgment has led me off course more times than I can to admit because I didn’t line my thoughts up with God’s word.
Sometimes it’s hard to get back on track and we have to repair what we’ve already done. Fortunately, God gives second chances (and thirds, and fourths). When we look to Him as our level, He will make it right again. There’s no mess He can’t repair and no heart He won’t make new. He has a process too – love, equip, forgive, repeat. The good thing is, He is a Master at it!
Be blessed,
Jennifer
“Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them.” Deuteronomy 5:1