A carpenter cannot build a house without a plumb line. It’s not good enough to try to line things up by sight. The house will end up crooked. The same principle applies to our lives.
To live a life worth living and one that is constructive and beneficial to others requires a plumb line. Our personal perspectives and experiences are much too limited and finite. A life lived with no regrets must be built with plumb lines that guide us and give us true readings.
I was reminded of this by a recent conversation I had with a fellow passenger on a flight home the other day. The young man thought it was wrong for others to be critical about the lifestyle of others. He believed that people should be able to live anyway they want to live as long as it doesn’t directly hurt an innocent party.
The problem with this kind of thinking is that it ignores the truth about human nature and assumes that we are omniscient. Human nature will always minimize the pain of others to justify our own personal pleasures. We are so prone to distort and misrepresent truth and reality in order to justify our current lifestyles. It’s hard for most people to admit that they are born bent with a disposition toward self-centeredness and selfishness.
But the truth is true whether we believe it or not. And, if our lifestyle denies the truth, it does not change the truth.
Think about it this way. Suppose an experienced carpenter tries to eyeball the line necessary for a perpendicular wall and builds the wall based upon what looks right to him. Afterwards, a rookie carpenter or apprentice to the carpenter uses a plumb line on the wall and discovers that the sight line was slightly off and that the wall is now crooked. Can you imagine how absurd it would be for the experienced carpenter to try and justify his crooked line based upon his sight and experience? It’s not about how much experience he has…it’s about the truth.
It is so important that we measure our lives with God’s plumb line. We dare not trust our experiences and sightlines as being precise measurements of truth to build on. We are so prone to be slightly off center because we were not designed as human plumb lines. Over time, building a life slightly off center will result in disaster and a life full of regrets.
God’s Word is the plumb line. Don’t be surprised when you use God’s plumb line and it exposes your life as crooked and needing re-alignment. Also, don’t be surprised when you disagree with the findings of the plumb line on your life. Our desire for pleasure often blinds us to the truth.
So, what’s the take-away here? Trust God’s plumb line even when it doesn’t make sense or feel right. A plumb line is always straight and reliable…our perspective and experience is not. Invest time daily in the reading of and study of God’s Word. Ask yourself the hard question, “Does my life line up to the truth?” You won’t regret it…especially when you’re looking back at your life and asking the question, “Was it worth it?”
I’m in the Dayton airport awaiting my flight back home. I’ve been in Ohio for the last 8 days and had the privilege of renewing friendships with two pastor friends while speaking in their churches throughout the week. While here, I observed and was reminded of a number of things that contribute to the good health of a church. Both churches were very different but had so much in common. I thought I’d share some of the similarities with you.
1. These pastors genuinely loved the people in their church.
2. These congregations trusted and loved their pastors.
3. These pastors were not so scripted that they couldn’t be flexible and spontaneous.
4. These congregations demonstrated their concern for others with their “acts of kindness” and talked about it so others could learn how.
5. These pastors had a sense of humor and weren’t afraid to laugh at themselves.
6. These congregations were generous and didn’t wait for someone to ask before they demonstrate it.
7. These pastors measured effectiveness in ministry and direction for ministry with an evangelistic baseline.
8. These congregations were eager to grow in their knowledge of God’s Word and demonstrated it with their participation in special services and Bible Studies at the most inconvenient times.
9. These pastors were disciplined men and demonstrated it by prioritizing time for the study of God’s Word and prayer.
10. These congregations permitted and encouraged their pastors to spend large quantities of time with their families.
11. These pastors paid attention to their wives and kids and were quick to pull out pictures that demonstrated how much they valued and loved them.
12. These congregations and their pastors were passionate about their personal relationships with God and wanted others to know about it.
13. These pastors were committed to stick with their churches during difficult times and had weathered storms in the past that earned their congregation’s trust.
14. These churches had both been willing to follow their pastor’s lead even when their personal preferences had to be denied.
15. Both pastors regarded past victories as reason to celebrate but not as “sacred cows” to maintain or repeat.
16. Both pastors saw themselves as pastors to their communities as well as their congregations.
I could go on and on with many other observations but I’m afraid God will already hold me accountable for all that I’ve listed. J This has been a refreshing week and a reminder of many of the subtleties of effective ministry. I return to Sarasota with a renewed commitment to pastor, lead, and enjoy the wonderful people God has placed in my life.
Special thanks go to Pastors Greg Jackson and Dave Hill and their churches, First Southern Baptist Church in Camden and Northside Baptist Church in Springfield. You’re both making a huge difference and honoring God with your ministries.
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