Singapore’s skyline is dotted with cranes. As a country, growth and change are constants. The central business district’s expansion into reclaimed land continues. Older buildings are routinely demolished to give way to the new. Even the shipyards are moving to premises further west. The construction industry is alive and well.
As I look out on a condominium under construction, there is a swarm of workers methodically going about their work. Each seems to know their role. The roles may seem to be trivial to the observer, yet the progress week to week is tangible! This is a building that is well on its way to becoming a 45-story place many will call home.
Metaphorically, writers across the centuries have linked who and what we are with a home under construction. One writer put it this way; “You are God’s house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I [Paul] designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation!” (1 Corinthians 3.9, 10)
Singapore reminds me that growth and change are constants in our lives. We never remain unchanged. The question is never if. We are moving towards somewhere. Questions that are here for us to wrestle with include the following.
Do we know about the change in our lives? Whatever is happening, are we regularly reflecting on the process underway? Life will be trying to teach us. Awareness and understanding are keys to more.
What direction are we going? Are we moving towards our aspirations? If not, are we willing to do something differently than what we have been doing? If our direction and aspirations are aligned, are we celebrating?
In exercising our freedom, have we intentionally chosen our teachers? We can shape how we learn. We often chose what influences our life. Examples include our friendships, choices in entertainment, and even how we spend our time.
I will add to the building that I am today. I want to choose my teachers. I want to reach for more.
