An Essay

Sometimes, I like to write essays just for fun. Since they are just sitting in a folder on my desktop, I thought maybe I'd post a few here occassionally. So, here goes.

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The Stone House

I imagine a builder, preparing to build a house out of stones. The builder gathers the stones for his project, not searching endlessly for perfect stones, but collecting as many as he can to suit his needs. I doubt he would have found a single flawless rock, even if he had wanted to. I’m sure it was a daunting task, looking at that huge heap of stones, piled one on top of the other without form or function, but without hesitation, he consulted his plans, rolled up his sleeves and went to work. He probably sorted out larger stones for the foundation and smaller stones for the chimney, imagining the warmth and shelter he would enjoy when at last his job was done.

All stones are different, some big, some small and many in-between. Some are very beautiful with flecks of quartz, streaks of violet, or made entirely of bright, white limestone. Some of the stones are probably ordinary at first glance, but each one interesting and unique when examined closely. The builder mixes mortar to place between the stones and carefully begins to position the rocks and painstakingly piece smaller stones in the openings between the larger using the mortar seal any gaps. The mortar covers each individual stone’s flaws and binds them firmly together to form something enduring, beautiful and solid.

So, I’ll bet your wondering, “Why go on and on about a stone house?” “What on earth does this have to do with me?” Let me explain.

Imagine that the builder is Jesus and each stone is one of his followers. Each of us is different and flawed, but he uses us anyway – ordinary or extraordinary. Instead of mortar, his grace covers our iniquities and binds us together to form something much larger than ourselves. We are his Church and he is our creator. Without the builder and the mortar, we are merely a pile of useless rocks.