As Christians the scriptures point us to a higher goal and this can be illustrated by the following passage from Matthew’s gospel.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored. It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16
Tradition has it that when Christopher Wren the architect and builder of St Paul’s Cathedral in London was inspecting the site without any notice to the builders, he spoke to three of the stone masons and asked each separately the same question.
The question was; “What are you doing here?”
The first replied: “I am carving stone”, not knowing who was asking the question.
Likewise the second replied: “I am earning three shillings a day.”
The third, who again did not know who was asking the question replied: “I am helping Mr Wren build a cathedral.”
I think this story is a good illustration of what Jesus was talking about. Our mission or purpose at Jericho Road is to demonstrate the character of God to those we serve. We are to be light and we are to be salt, just as Christians are called to be everywhere.
Can I ask you what are you doing here? Are you carving stone; just doing a job? Are you earning three shillings a day; just working? Or are you building a cathedral by living lives that are pointing people to Jesus?
Rob McPaul