building It to Last
As I watched the rebuild of Dike Chapel, I learned some important Gospel lessons. I’ve been part of many building projects during my life and felt like I had a good handle on construction methods (at least as much as I could without formal training). I was astounded by the number of variables that went into calculating the design and construction of the Chapel foundation. The type of soil, its compaction specs, the weight of the building, and the seismic realities of living in Redlands all required a surprisingly robust design. The thickness of the foundation, the recipe for the concrete, the amount of steel and how the steel was used were only one part of the equation. At each of the corners of the chapel deep holes were drilled and filled with steel rebar and another specific recipe of concrete. It was fascinating to watch. All of this effort was put forth to make sure that the Chapel would be able to withstand any destabilizing movement of the ground. This experience has given me new understanding of the Scriptural image of building our house upon a rock.
So Many Choices
As Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount, he uses this powerful imagery to put before us a choice. Will we build our life, our faith, and our relationships on a foundation that will endure the uncertainties of the human condition, or will we choose a foundation that collapses under those pressures? In the marketplace of ideas it would seem as though we have an abundance of choices of design and materials to build a foundation for life. As we work to build life and faith, it is easy for us to cut corners in order to get the job done faster. At other times we are prone to avoid the more challenging work of relationship building because we are not willing to pay the price of that work. There is a real-life corollary in what we discovered about the first construction of Dike Chapel. When the original design was offered, it included a steel frame. At the time it was deemed to be too expensive. Laminated beams replaced steel as it was thought to be a cost-effective alternative. I would never characterize this as a ‘bad’ decision. However, the tension between short term expedience and long-term implications would bring unforeseen consequences. This moment became a cautionary tale about stewardship and choices.
ONly Two Choices
For Jesus, in the teaching we have reflected upon these last many weeks there are only two choices. Do we choose to align ourselves with God, or do we choose something other than God? Even in Jesus’ time the consequences of choosing other than God were known. The effects of tribalism, greed, the pursuit of power, and the cost of self-centered choices left a trail of wreckage that brought deep pain to the human community. In what we know as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus provides the spiritual and ethical framework that will restore relationships with God and one another. The practice of mercy, forgiveness, compassion, reconciliation, and self-giving love will rebuild and restore the human community. These spiritual practices become the antidote to the poison of self-centeredness and selfishness that we experience all too frequently. On Sunday, we will explore this choice more deeply, as we listen more intently to the sound of God’s voice and the experience of God’s healing Spirit. Please join us in person, or online as we live into this hope together.
