Designed as Builders by Dudley Hall

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Psalms 127:1a (ESV)

God is a builder. We are created in his image and thus are builders by design. Everyone is building a house with the materials he or she has been given. The house is relational rather than physical. It is made up of “children” as descendants. Of course this means more than biological children. It includes all those who are in our sphere of influence and who look to us for some measure of input.

Those who do not embrace their responsibility to build generationally are left to find some substitute fulfillment to their internal longing. We are made to build. Actually everyone builds something. It may be a shack of irresponsible relationships and misspent opportunities to make a positive influence. Or it could be physical building projects that offer the satisfaction of building, but always disappoint. Houses and land can’t provide the significance that a line of influenced lives can. It is interesting that too often the church has settled for building temples and cathedrals rather than lives.

When we accept our role as builders, it affects every decision. For instance, a young man will realize that how he treats the young girl he is dating will affect his own grandchildren. Or how one handles the weekly paycheck is determined by what one wants to build for the future. When we live as builders, we live with responsibility. We want to use the very best materials, and we want the foundations built securely.

The pertinent choice for each of us is to adopt our calling as builders now. Not to do so is to deny our identification with our Father who loves to build with his sons. Then we must look to Jesus who built his house by influencing the few in his sphere and making sure they had the needed resources to build their houses. It is a tragedy to live in a relational shack when we could be living in a temple not made by human hands.