Body Builders

My uncle was a stonemason and as a young child I had an opportunity to watch him build a wall in the front yard. As he constructed the wall he would first select a stone that would be suitable for a spot in the wall. Then he would chip away at the stone until it was a good match with the stones around it. As I reflect on the building process, I’m drawn to a spiritual lesson.

Just as my uncle was shaping the stones for a purpose, God is shaping us to be a good match with those around us in order to build His body.

In 1 Peter 2:5-6, Peter refers to us as living stones. God, like the stonemason, is continuously shaping us, the living stones, by chipping away at our character until we are a fit. He molds and shapes us and then binds us with other living stones. Sometimes we lose focus and go off course by calling our agenda, "God's agenda." By doing so, we misrepresent God and corrupt His plan.

We must remember we are not here to please ourselves but for the glory of God. In many ways, we are body builders, building up the body of God for His purpose and His glory.

Allow me to borrow a couple of slogans to further illustrate God's ability to shape us for His purpose: (1) “Get in where you fit in.” God gives us gifts and opportunities to serve the Body of Christ, but have we allowed God to fit us into His plan? Are we serving with purpose? Are we serving because we want to serve and build the body of Christ? In 2 Corinthians 13:4-6, Paul tells us we must test ourselves and the purpose for which we do things. Consider asking God to find a service for you to which you can bring Him glory.

Remember, God is chipping away at the living stones so that we fit well with each other, allowing the body to grow.

(2) “Just do it.” This slogan coined by “Nike” is a simple one. In the Christian life, we easily find all kinds of excuses not to do what we should do. It took the disciples over three years to “Just do it”. In the Old Testament, God told Saul, “Just do it,” but Saul wanted sheep for his flock. God told Moses, “Just do it,” but Moses gave every excuse in the book. God told Gideon, “Just do it,” but he needed a sign. There is seemingly an endless list of men and women who gave God excuses for their disobience when God said, "Just do it."

These are the very ones who God chipped away at the edges so they could fit in the building of the body. So, the question is posed. Are you a body builder or are you sitting on the sidelines watching the action?

Will you “Get in where you fit in”, or are you going to be a rejected stone? Will you “Just do it,” or are you satisfied with others filling in for you?

Body building is not a spectator’s sport, it’s a life style. If you want God to use you, you can start today, and the best place to start is at home. Start by teaching your family through your actions. Let the righteousness of Christ be where you get your strength, so that the Stonemason might shape you and your family and, in doing so, build up the Body as well.

Al Bailey serves as a Deacon, Sunday school teacher, Discipleship teacher, Ministry Assistant, father of two children Michael & Mikayla, and husband of his beautiful wife, Roxanne, while investing in his family & the body at Wilcrest Baptist Church in Houston, Texas.