The Faithful Build Eternity, a Brick at a Time

If I were to ask you where your hope comes from, what would you say?

Can you articulate your hope in Jesus?

A successful brick layer stood in the ruins of his home. Bricks lay shattered and scorched across his foundation. His family had been inside, they were consumed by the blaze. A tragic accident of nature. There was nothing left.

He picked up a black brick turning its pieces in his hands. He had made each of these bricks by hand. He had collected the materials, built the molds, designed their form and one by one placed each in its place. He knew each brick, he remembered the rhythm in the work. The repetitive movements of sifting sand and rock with water. He was a brick layer, born a mason in his father’s house, the third generation. Rock, sand and brick is all he knew. He hated it when he was younger. The repetition, the boring repetition of each block, each layer, each wall a different location. Many times he felt as though he was building a wall that never ended. The same wall with different names, sentenced to live out his days building a wall that was always unfinished.

It’s what he knew. It’s what he depended on for his food, his livelihood, his family, and his meaning. Anything could happen in the world. His wife could leave him, his dog could die, but as long as he built bricks and added to that wall he had a way to live. It was his life.

He stood brushing the dust from his clothes. He needed to build a brick. That was it, it’s what he knew, it was solid. He only needed a little water, sand rock and cementing agent to make one brick, then a wall, that endless wall, but he would build it. He knew if he could make that first brick, that’s where he would find his hope. He would find the strength to rebuild.

He began to work.

Peter said, “Jesus was the cornerstone the builders rejected.” He was the first brick, molded and set by the master’s hands. The work is faithfulness, the hope there is a better world. Jesus showed us, literally showed us the way. Faithfulness is possible, it’s the path that leads humanity back to Eden. It’s the work on a never ending wall that gives us life. It’s not the wall, or where it leads, or even its name. It’s the work, one brick at a time. The work comforts, heals, and brings life. The work is faithfulness, faithfully building one brick. One brick set in the mold of Jesus. One brick and one brick and one brick . . .

We know that brick brings life. Jesus tells us the faithful are clothed. The faithful are fed. The faithful will inherit the earth. That gives me hope. My hope comes in the cornerstone called Jesus. He did it and was resurrected. He showed me the way. Our father will heal this broken land through the faithful and that gives me hope. The land and humanity may never be completely healed in my lifetime, but the work of faith brings me life today. It brings me hope. It brought healing to my life and I know it will to yours as well.

Where’s the water and sand?

It’s time to get to work.