Tip of My Iceberg

Every three years, we hold our national conference, which brings together approximately 4,000 of our staff members, this year in Milwaukee, to remind us of why we do what we do.

We share the one Message that can make a difference in anyone’s life: sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, His forgiveness of all that we’ve done wrong, and His limitless love for all who long for true intimacy with the God who made them.

It’s an amazing job.

During one of the meetings, we were each given a rectangle of acrylic and were told to write our names on it. When they were gathered together, they were hung as a display of what we are as a community, individuals who are unique and significant in our own right, but stronger together. The exhibit was constructed like a house, the four sides composed of the names of our staff, working together, for a common purpose. A foundation of strength that comes from choosing the best materials to build the structure.

I saw the names of thousands of people; many I knew, many I didn’t. But we have a common heart and longing for others to know the hope we share. We’re all aware of how different we are; you might think of us as distinct building materials with equal strength. Our foundation is unrivaled: God Himself.

We’re better together.

It matters what we use to build what we want to last.

Jesus was speaking to a crowd in what came to be known as the Sermon on the Mount. A huge crowd gathered on a hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, near the city of Capernaum. He spoke to the crowd about living a life that matters, not based on rules but on the goodness and love of God. A life that pleases Him because He will live through us.

To demonstrate His point, Jesus shared a parable about two builders who built on two different foundations. One built his house on a rock; the other built on sand.

“Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears My teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” Matthew 7:26-27

Jesus spoke of what it takes to create a life of strength, resilience, and hope. His teaching focused on trusting God and embracing His forgiveness, love, and grace. We each build a life for ourselves; we choose the foundation and the belief system, just as we select the building materials that we’ll use.

How we invest in our lives, who we surround ourselves with, and what we believe, all contribute to the quality of life we live. Having a solid foundation on which to build a satisfying existence is the necessary beginning.

We all do better with others. We’re not created for isolation; we’re created for community.

We get to choose that as well.

Choose wisely.