Construction -- Matt. 7:24-28

As a liberal arts degree holder, I've working my share of construction-related jobs. The starting point was always the foundation. As one wise mentor explained, "A mistake in the foundation will chase you all the way to the chimney top!" When you are forming up a rectangular foundation, use a long tape-measure to make sure that the diagonal corners are identical. Then you'll know that the corners are square.

Later, I was the man with the white hard-hat, clean hands, and clipboard who wandered around job sites watching other people work. I took notes of what went on. When one contractor poured inadequate concrete into a bridge, my notes documented the fact, and a painful penalty clause kicked in.

Jesus worked construction, I believe. He knew about sawdust and planks. Consider, for example, this parable:

«İşte bu sözlerimi duyup uygulayan herkes, evini kaya üzerinde kuran akıllı adama benzer. Yağmur yağmış, seller yükselmiş, yeller esmiş ve eve saldırmış; ama ev yıkılmamış. Çünkü kaya üzerine kurulmuştu.
Bu sözlerimi duyup da uygulamayan herkes, evini kum üzerinde kuran budala adama benzer. Yağmur yağmış, seller yükselmiş, yeller esmiş ve eve yüklenmiş. Ve ev çökmüş; çöküşü de korkunç olmuş.»
İsa konuşmasını bitirince, halk O'nun öğretişine şaşıp kaldı. Çünkü onlara kendi din bilginleri gibi değil, yetkili biri gibi ders veriyordu.

And, a few words for today:

• sel -- flood
• yel -- wind
• uygulamak -- to apply
  

When I pray, I like to use a deck of 3 by 5 index cards. Each has a word, or a brief phrase, indicating a matter where I want to invoke God's favor. The top card, therefore the first and last thing I pray for, is Wisdom. Since we tend to get what we pray for, it's pretty important to pray for the right things! I am also painfully aware of the foolishness in my own life, the areas wherein I lack awareness.

This morning, however, a disturbing thought occurred: is it wise to pray for more wisdom, unless one is busy applying the wisdom he already has? Brilliant people rarely achieve leadership positions in corporate environments. They have their brilliant insights, and stop there to gloat. In real life, however, it's the doers who make progress.

May a merciful God have mercy upon us, and not leave us stranded inside our own ineptitude!