“I’m tired of all the construction!!!” Do you know how many times I’ve heard that statement over the past several weeks? I haven’t counted the times I’ve heard it…but I know the number would be up there. It seems the “construction zones” around town and the area have become a popular conversation topic this year, mainly because we’ve been dealing with quite a bit of construction during this road construction season. You can already hear the jokes about South Dakota having two seasons; winter and road construction!
Then what makes matters worse for those of us on the north end of town is that another road got blocked off just the other day due to …construction. And there’s been no word how long the road closure will last. Yes, road construction can be disruptive to our lives. Yet, we also don’t like it when roads get worn with cracks, ruts or potholes. So…we endure, and we sometimes complain a bit too.
Have you ever stopped to consider about the “construction” that is taking place in other areas of life?? The truth is it’s not just road construction that provides disruptions, there are also other “construction zones” present in life. Maybe you’re trying to get into better shape, so you’re trying to exercise. Or maybe the doctor has said you need to lose some weight, or lower your caffeine intake, or cut down on the sweets you eat.
Or how about your emotional and mental health area?? Are you trying to overcome the negative messages that often play in your head? Or how about any addictions you might be dealing with? Even spiritually, there are likely places that God is at work shaping and molding each of us. So, you could say there are likely multiple construction sites going on within us at any particular time. And yes, it is true that these construction sites within us can be just as annoying and disruptive as any road construction project we’ve been dealing with here in Mitchell.
But again, we have to keep our eyes on the bigger picture; roadways being improved or developed, new construction being developed to improve our community. That is the goal! And the same is true with the different construction zones in our lives. God is at work within us helping us become the more complete and whole person that God sees us to be. And also, that is what we are charged with doing as followers of Jesus. There are several passages in the New Testament where Paul encourages us to “build one another up.” We are to be encouragers and helpers, where we can, of the formation and transformation that God is doing in the world and in each of our lives. So, each of us could be wearing a safety vest and a hard hat to show that we are each involved in the construction work taking place around us and within us.
So, here’s the challenge I’m going to take up…and I want to share with all of you. Next time I come upon a construction zone that is going to delay or disrupt my life, I’m going to try giving thanks for the construction workers…and give thanks for the project that is seeking to make improvements in our community and world. And then, maybe I’ll be able to give thanks for the construction work taking place within me…and be more patient with myself, with God, and with those around me. After all, I really do believe we are all “under construction!”
Pastor Keith