The Sound of Construction

Mary A. Felkins
12 hours ago
3 min read

In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. John 14: 2

I live in a heavily wooded community established in the early 70s. Many of the older houses are continually being restored or updated.

Living within hurricane striking distance north of the Gulf, I brace myself each storm season when homes and businesses potentially suffer flooding and tree limbs target rooftops, pierce windows, and crush segments of fencing.

On any given day, I hear the sound of lawn guys, tree trimmers, agile roofers scrambling over the tiles like it’s a field of daises, or contractors hacking away at homes to give them a facelift.

But recently, those common sounds of construction all around me became an irritating distraction.

Oh, the sawing, hammering, drilling!

How much longer before those contractors would gather their saw horses, wood planks, tools, and take off?

I sympathized with the Grinch who lamented, “And then all the noise. All the noise, noise, noise, NOISE! They’ll bang on tong-tinglers, blow their foo-flounders, they’ll crash on jang-jinglers, and bound on boing-bounders!

Running a mid-day errand, I slowed my car to a near-crawl in front of a house where contractors had been working for several days.

New paint, updated facade, glistening new windows.

The longer I allowed my gaze to linger, a harmless curiosity disintegrated into what was remarkably similar to … envy.

I could almost feel my bones rot. [A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Proverbs 14:30]

As those grating noises (aka other people beautifying their real estate) persisted for several more days, a swift whisper of the Spirit pricked my conscience:

Your Father is at work building you a rock-solid, incorruptible, and spacious home where you will dwell in His presence. In your Father’s house, you will gaze upon the beauty of the Lord forevermore. [Psalm 27:4]

Ah, true.

But do you know if the owners of the home you envy will enjoy the same privilege?

No, not really.

Nothing of the sounds of construction (building our careers, homes, social media followers etc ...) around us—while necessary, God-honoring, or lovely to look at—will last.

The keys to God’s glorious everlasting home, with its many rooms, are available to all who ask.

What about you? Makes a person want to examine their heart for evidence of envy and thank God for his good gifts this year.

Wherever we live, may this Christmas season and the New Year enable us to hear the sweet and reassuring sounds of His holy housing construction as He prepares a place for us.

Thanks for reading!

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