Amateur Builder

Written by Tarah Trosen
 

    I’m not sure what happened in adulthood, but somewhere along the way, I decided that I could attempt nearly any house project on my own.  It could have been years of sleep deprivation altering my sanity (caused by having 5 babies in 7 years), my sliding scale of perfection or just sheer stupidity, but when it comes to attempting projects, I am an ignorant enthusiast. It seems that the majority of projects take place while my husband is out of town. He would definitely try to thwart my plans if he knew what I was attempting, for good reason.
 

    Several years ago my husband, Kyle, was on a missions trip when I ventured to complete my biggest project yet: building a chicken coop. It was spring; the weather was warming, the sun was shining and new life was sprouting up. Naturally, the new spring life called for a trip to the local farming store to purchase baby chicks with the kids. The problem with chicks, however, is that they are hard to buy in moderation; their sweet chirps, fluffy feathers and lovable nature can melt even the coldest hearts. We left the store that day with 15 chicks. Did I mention that we lived in town at the time? Letting our feathered friends roam free was not an option. They needed a home and I was determined to build it. “How hard could it be?” I asked myself. I had seen a picture once on Pinterest: It would be as easy as constructing a large, wooden square, attaching it to our small shed and covering it with chicken wire. Voila! Easy peasy. Unfortunately it was more difficult than I anticipated. Who would have guessed that leveling, exact measurements and knowledge of power tools would be necessary? I was an amateur builder.
 

    I spent every moment throughout the next week working on that laughable chicken coop.  There were moments of frustration, tears, humor and exhaustion. When all was said and done, I took a step back to evaluate my work. A little paint and a floral wreath on the coop door camouflaged my mistakes; from far enough away, it actually looked decent. It was my imperfect  labor of love. I didn’t have an exact blueprint when I set out on the project;  just a picture in my mind of what it should look like and a lot of learning along the way. When all was said and done, the coop wasn't perfect, but it did accomplish its purpose.
 

    I wonder how the disciples felt when Jesus left them in charge of building His church. I bet they had a lot of questions and doubts. Jesus’ followers had seen a picture of what the Church should look like in their time with Him. They had watched Him love the outcasts, perform miracles and challenge social norms by displaying God’s upside-down Kingdom. In Matthew 28:18 Jesus tells His followers, “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 
 

    The disciples knew the basics about what needed to be done, but they were not supplied the details. They had a picture in their minds of what it should look like, but not a step-by-step instruction manual or a resume stacked with church building experience. They were amateur builders. The early church was beautiful, powerful and multiplying. It was also full of messy people, mistakes and the unknown. Even in the imperfection, something incredible was built, and is still being built today. God’s purpose was accomplished despite their imperfections because He held true to His promise, “I am with you.”
 

    Sometimes Jesus is going to ask us to try something new and step out of our comfort zones. Maybe it’s starting a non-profit, taking someone out for coffee to encourage their heart, moving across the ocean or starting a new job. It’s important to remember in those endeavors that mistakes aren’t regression and perfection isn’t the goal.  Our goal is to follow His lead and allow Him to grow us in the process. We are gifted, through the mistakes, an opportunity to gain wisdom, build character and learn what endurance means. We are gifted with the promise that we can move forward, in any new endeavor God leads us, knowing He will hold to His promise, “I am with you.”  God loves to use amateur builders.