1 Corinthians 3:9-15 (NIV) “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”
As ZION embarks upon physical building endeavours, customising the ZION Hub to be a location that meets the needs of our ZION People I can’t help but consider the cultural, personal, and spiritual foundations that we are individually and corporately building on.
1 Corinthians 3:9-15 lets us know that whatever we build on the foundation of Jesus with will be brought into the light. The question is, is what we are building with up to the scrutiny of being exposed to the light?
Can we as individuals, or corporately be proud of what we are building with? Are we known for our joy, our love, our peace, our hope? Do hospitality, generosity, and kindness earmark our interactions?
Are we known for our joy, our love, our peace, our hope?
From Corinthians we know that even if what we have built on the foundation of Jesus with is consumed by the fire, we will still be saved.
I don’t know about you, but that isn’t what I want. I want the quality of what I have built with to be tested and come out the other side intact. I want my life to have all the earmarks of a life lived with the foundation of Jesus in mind.
I want my life to have all the earmarks of a life lived with the foundation of Jesus in mind.
What thoughts, behaviours, actions, or reactions constitute gold, silver, and precious stones? What does quality work look like?
I believe that the Bible sheds light on what quality building materials look like, and though I could search for the information and share those answers with you, I encourage you to search the word for the blueprints contained within yourself. The word of God hits each of us in different ways. No two of us are the same, and I believe that what you build on the foundation of Jesus is as unique as it is beautiful, especially when it is built around who God made you to be.