Written by Richelle Thompson
1 Corinthians 3:10a (NRSV) According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it.
Until today, I read this passage with a focus on the importance of Jesus as the foundation, the solid rock on which the Church is built and my own life should be. But one of the delights of reading and hearing scripture time and again is that new words and ideas jump out. This time, it’s the phrase, “and someone else is building on it.” Paul goes on to say that others will build on the foundation, using varied resources: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw. I have this image of each life as a giant parfait, with different layers being built by and with different people.
This is a comforting concept. We are reminded that our work is part of something bigger, our ministry a piece of the whole. We don’t have to get everything perfect or follow a project (or person) from start to finish. We can do our best with our best—and then pass the torch. We build layers onto the foundations of our family, coworkers, and friends, people known and unknown—and, if we open ourselves to it, others will build layers in our lives. It’s all a part of the Master Builder’s plan.
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