Easter Sunday

Psalm 118: 22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 23 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.

During the celebration of Easter Sunday, my pastor mentioned this verse during the sermon. As I was reflecting on these words, I got to thinking about it:

The builders are those who help us to understand structures in our lives: People in authority, people who purport to know what we need and what we should do to maintain a healthy life on which we can build. According to this verse, those who say they know are exactly the ones who were wrong.

It makes me nervous to think that at times, I might be the builder – the leadership perspective that people are depending upon. It calls to mind the story of the three little pigs and the wolf. Each built a house, and two of the structures failed, resulting in disaster. If I have no experience, how can I know which structure is best for me? The only way is to test things. If the structure does not work,, we need to abandon it and move on to something new. The stone that the builders rejected is referring to Jesus Christ. He was rejected by those who were unwilling to test the waters– to determine beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the ideal cornerstone, the only One who can support and establish the foundation of our relationship with God.

How can I know when to support the builders (leadership) and when should I assume they (leadership) are being shortsighted? In modern terms, it means I need to ‘think outside the box’.  First, I need to recognize the ‘dimensions’ or parameters, of my box. When do ‘my parameters’  end, and where does the influence of the world begin? We need to take a position in which:

• • • We are not chumps, and should not be easily duped in our thinking.
      • Have you considered all the parameters carefully?
    • We need to recognize that evil can be subtle in the way it overtakes and changes our thinking.
      • Be ready to hear from God, through new people or circumstances.
    • If something does not feel right, it may be the Holy Spirit nudging us in another direction.
      • The Holy Spirit is a counselor we should never ignore.

Thinking outside the box can be really difficult.

Do I feel ‘shaken’ or ‘stirred to action’ by a new concept? If so, my box may not be big enough (or perhaps not sturdy enough). Within my faith in Christ, I have an anchor. If the foundation is solid, I will not be moved. If I am shaken, it is a good indication that some type of change is needed.

In the United States, there have been times when things such as building or bridge collapsed.  Only then  did engineers learn the lesson  that even a finished structure needs to be periodically tested. We need to acknowledge that regular testing helps us maintain well. We should always be fine tuning to make sure our foundation is living , real, and effective. We need to always be growing, not holding steady.

Growth might be as simple as expanding a definition of a concept. It might be that our understanding is just too simple. We may need to embellish and add to our understanding. As a young Christian, I tried to see the world in black and white– that which was good, and that which was bad. As I have matured in Christ, I come to see that there is a lot of gray  in our world.
Sometimes culture determines what is appropriate and what is not. As an example, people from the North East US tend to say things ‘as they are’. The mid west prefers things PC (politically correct). West coast culture tends to be saturated with a perspective of tolerance which thinly veils a strong level of intolerance for anything conservative. We all need to be open to listening and changing perspective.

Fortunately, these are tendencies, not absolutes. It is a good rule of thumb to notice  that  with an ‘absolute’attitude, it is unlikely that we will see people come to Christ.

God does the heart changing, not me. Effectively, to know God, I have to rely on the One who can hold me up, and not rely on the wisdom of those who think they know the answers. It is through a relationship with Christ that I have something to stand on.