Sunday, July 24, 2016

Something to Think About – A Firm Foundation

Something to Think About – A Firm Foundation

Last month, I had the privilege of visiting some Army Engineers at several of their job sites during some Annual Training. After visiting almost every site on a daily basis, I came to the conclusion that it's amazing what a difference two weeks can make.

When these soldiers arrived at one site, there was nothing more than six telephone poles in an otherwise empty lot. As time went on, I begin to see progress starting to take place. At first, it was just a few boards here and there. Then, I saw a platform, and a landing, and then finally some steps. By the time these skillful young men and women were finished, that pile of lumber and power tools which stood before me on that first day had been transformed into a beautiful archery tower, complete with a roof, railings, and all of the bells and whistles.
Another one of their sites came with a giant slab of cement poured and ready for the “50 man classroom” which came to them as a kit. Although not every piece fit together like it should have, this group worked together to meet deadlines and to make sure that this project would stand the test of time.
What was the common link between these two job sites which allowed these projects to be quickly and safely completed? It was the foundation upon which they were built. Without a firm foundation, neither one of these groups would have finished their project, or if they did, the end result would not have met the appropriate standards.

The principle of having a firm foundation is nothing new, and, coincidentally, it can be applied throughout the rest of our lives as well. This principle is discussed in Matthew 7:24-27, which tells of two men. One of them built his house upon a firm foundation and saw it stand against the raging storm. The other one built it upon uncertain ground. He witnessed his own creation come crashing down around him.

Weather we are putting together a building, building a friendship, or starting a new positive habit in our lives to replace an old one, the foundation we lay in the beginning stages will be imperative to the end result.
Over two weeks I was with these soldiers, I witnessed progress both on the worksites and within the unit as well. As the physical walls went up on the projects, many hindering barriers came down. A good example of this is the crew which was putting together the archery tower. Its crew started off as two distinct shifts. As time went on, however, the first shift started staying later, and the second one began to arrive earlier.

By the time the tower was complete, these two groups had decided that they wanted nothing more than to put their own needs aside in order to help their fellow soldier. They realized that since they started with a good foundation and were working towards the same goals, the more they gave to this project… the more they received.

Make sure to build firm foundations in all aspects of your life so that you will stand firm when the storms of life come your way.

David H. Troyer
www.davidhtroyer.com
@DavidHTroyer
www.facebook.com/davidhtroyer