Brick Layer or Carpenter?

This Sunday in our series on discipleship we took a look at part of the Sermon in the Mount - Matthew 5:21-48. The bit where Jesus says things like 'you have heard it said, do not commit murder, but I tell you if you're angry with your brother or sister you will be judged'. Challenging stuff.

And some parts of the Bible are very challenging to read because they highlight an obvious gap between the life we'd like to lead and the life we're actually leading. A gap between what is seen on the outside and what is going on inside. But how do you feel and how do you respond after you've read a challenging passage?

Paul tells us in the New Testament that for the Christian there is no condemnation - because of Jesus. He died to bring forgiveness and peace. But he also tells us that God's word will rebuke us at times, because we will read it and realise that there are areas of our life that do not match up with what God wants. But the Holy Spirit does not reveal these things with the purpose of making us feel rubbish about ourselves and want to give up following Jesus. Rather he wants us to repent of our mistakes and take a fresh start.

I remember someone telling me once that our walk as a follower of Jesus is a bit like someone building a circular tower of bricks. Where each brick represents an area in our lives that God is transforming, and God is the builder. So maybe at the moment God is putting his finger on anger - and once that issue got a bit sorted he moves on to our attitude towards money, and then lust, and then telling the truth and then...and then...and then...

Eventually the first layer of bricks is laid, and God returns to anger - either we need to relearn the previous lesson or God wants to take us on a step further, and then money, and then ... and then ... and then... until the second layer is complete.

And so we keep on going round and round and round, but each time the tower gets a little higher.

This picture is helpful in a number of ways. 

• It reminds us that God often works on us one piece at a time - so what is God working on in me at the moment?
• Also just because I see certain sins in others doesn't mean that God is working on those sins at the moment - I need to allow God to work in his time and in his way.
• God's word does challenge us about our behaviour - but not with the purpose of paralysing us, but to allow God transform us a bit more and therefore lay another brick.
• Sometimes it feels as if we're just going round and round in circles, but we're also getting a little higher each time.