My husband Frank is very thorough and careful. His practice of looking at all sides before acting is one reason I initially grew to trust and love him. I know he is a good balance for my tendency to rush home repair and improvement decisions or projects.
BUILD IT FAST OR BUILD IT WELL?
We recently repainted our primary bathroom. The project highlighted our particular differences. Repaint? In my mind, it was as easy as picking a color, buying the paint, and painting the walls. Meanwhile, at the hardware store, Frank was gathering supplies—some I had never even heard of. I already mentally picked out the new shower curtain and was enjoying our refreshed space. I wanted to skip to the finishing touches while my husband meticulously planned and prepared his first step for our project.
METICULOUS WORK
I looked at discounted paint, thinking it would help cut costs. Frank pointed out that a project worth doing is worth doing well. I knew he was right and thanked God, for the millionth time, for giving me this wise man. He worked long and hard in that small room before the first coat of paint ever went on the walls. He used several different types of spackle, depending on the repair needed. Do you know there are lightweight, heavyweight, acrylic, vinyl, and epoxy formulas of spackle? It didn’t even cross my mind. Frank then sanded over the repairs to smooth the walls. Some repairs required several rounds of sanding. He wiped away the dust that had settled into EVERY nook and cranny before removing the light fixture, switch plates, and outlet covers. Then he taped the edges to ensure clean lines and prevent bleed-through. It was painstaking work, and it took longer than either of us expected. But the result was worth it. Our bathroom is now a renewed and refreshed space. Our treasured project took time and was done well.
BUILDING WELL TAKES TIME AND CONCENTRATION
In Matthew 7:24–27, at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells the story of the wise man who built his house on the rock. When the storms of life came—and they did—the house stood firm. Building such a house takes time and concentration. Jesus calls us to build our lives on the firm foundation of His truth, putting His words into practice so that we can stand when the storms come. We are His project.
THE DEEPER WORK OF BUILDING WELL
Walking with Jesus can feel a lot like my painting project. We want the outcome to happen like an HGTV makeover—60 minutes or less—glossing over the depth of work required, especially when brokenness gets uncovered. We want the beautiful, finished result without the painstaking preparation. But God is not interested in simply making us look better on the outside. He is doing a deeper work in us. Every crack, rough place, and hidden area receives His tender, deliberate attention. Our messiness and disarray do not scare Him. He patiently works to restore, repair, and renew us as He builds our lives on the firm foundation He provides (Ephesians 2:20–22). Unlike a bathroom renovation, we are not merely another project to Jesus. We are His treasured people (Deuteronomy 7:6). He loves us enough to do the deep work, and He paid the ultimate price—giving His life so that we could have eternal life with Him.
A LIFE WORTH BUILDING IS WORTH BUILDING WELL
So perhaps the next time God begins sanding away something rough in us, uncovering a crack we would rather cover up, or asking us to wait when we would rather rush ahead, we can remember: a life worth building is worth building well. The process may be slower and harder than we want. It may uncover more brokenness than we expected. But we can trust the One doing the work. He sees what we cannot see, knows what needs to be repaired, and is faithful to complete what He begins. Our part is to let Him work—and to keep building our lives on the Rock. Let Him take over the project.