LEGO my Church

Last week, I was in the role of a single parent for three full days. With my wife away for work and reinforcements unavailable in the evenings, I knew I would need to think of some activities that would ensure my sanity during the “witching hours”. I grew up a LEGO aficionado and, thanks to my mom and nephew, my own large bin of childhood blocks were back in my possession. I promised the kids that while Mom was away, we would work together to build the tallest tower ever. Two days and several hours of building later, I added the seventh layer to my masterpiece. Truthfully, the kids didn’t do much building. They would suggest an addition and I would politely decline or try to explain in my best fatherly teaching voice why that would be ugly. One of them would attach a piece in a horribly asymmetrical or unsteady fashion and I would remove it when they weren’t looking. As they got bored and asked me to help them build something else, I reminded them how we agreed we wanted to build this tower together. Without making eye contact, I’d keep promising them I was almost finished and then they could play with it. Exasperated, little Norah finally came over and jammed a pillar of blocks through the roof causing two floors to collapse. “No, No,” I said sternly, staring intently into my 2 year’s old big eyes. “Look what you did to my castle.” From across the basement, Annie commented, “Dad, who were you building it for in the first place?” In my quest to build the tower, I became obsessed on the outcome and forgot the recipient. As the walls seem to crumble in some parts of our Church and we seek to pick up the pieces, are we clear for whom we are building? Are we trying to fashion our design off what we know and what we want, or are we prayerfully seeking the blueprint designs of our Lord? It strikes me that our brick laying in these days may resemble that of the great cathedrals of the middle age – we may never see the finished product. So long as we continue to build off the right foundation and keep ourselves focused on those for whom we are called to build, Christ is one who will bring this project to completion.