Keep Checking

I remember visiting a man a number of years ago who was in the middle of a project at his house. He made his living laying bricks and various kinds of stones on a variety of projects. 

This time he was laying some stones of various sizes on the front of his own house. While I’m sure he took care to make all of his work look good, I’m equally sure he wanted this project at his own house to look very good. I’m also confident that he intended for it to last a long time.

I have no idea how stones of varying shapes and sizes can be laid in such a way to not only look good, but to remain in place. I did learn one trick of the trade by watching him and asking a question.

I noticed that my friend and brother would use a ruler to measure the distance from the stone he was laying to the wall of the house. It didn’t take but a second to do, but it seemed to be an important part of the process. 

I’m reasonably sure that he had measured the distance from the wall to the first stone he had laid. Why wasn’t that one measurement enough? Why did he keep checking the measurement?

I think that even I know the answer to that, even though I’ve never been involved in that process one time in my life. I believe that my friend knew that, even with his experience, it was possible to be off a little here and there if he relied only on his judgment. I believe that he also knew that what might seem to be small discrepancies could cause large problems with the entire job. It would be possible for the entire project to be ruined if he did not keep checking his measurements.

Please read carefully the following passages:

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2 Cor. 13:5)

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:23-15)

So, how are you doing as you make preparation for your eternal home? When is the last time you checked?

To Receive Every Post from A Legacy of Faith through Email for Free, Click Here