May 26, 202
Things are sometime done differently in different parts of the world. While in China I watched a construction crew building a bridge. I saw all of the “I” beams on the ground waiting to be lifted into place. I assumed that shortly a crane would arrive on the site to lift the beams into place. While I watched a number of workers put together some bamboo scaffolding under the bridge. I was quite impressed that the light wood structure would hold the beams which were about three feet and a half high and about 230 pounds per foot. The eighty foot span would mean a beam weighing 18,400 pounds. I was very surprised when instead of a crane, what seemed to be about two hundred construction workers lined up on either side of the first beam and lifted it about three feet onto the first level of scaffolding.
Could there be a clearer portrayal of the power of team work? Who would think that 18,000 pounds could be handled by sheer man power? There are some things from this process that are worth noticing. First, there is no way the beam could be moved with one or even a few people, it took many hands. Second, the men all had to lift simultaneously. If only some lifted at one time they would never move the beam and could be in danger of tipping or dropping it. And third, there needed to be a clearly laid out plan before the efforts could begin.
There are many times in life when we face daunting problems which, when we consider them, look to us like one person trying to lift an 18,000 pound steel beam. Thankfully God did not call us to serve him individually but in the context of a community, a called out people (church). When dealing with things we can’t lift, we need to be humble enough to look to our brethren. When we see a brother in need let’s remember Paul admonishes us to “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ” Gal 6:2.
God has called us to work Eph 2:10, there are beams to be moved, and together we can achieve what one alone cannot. Let’s work together to achieve the plans God has for this church and this community.
~ Kevin Cleary