Foundations & Pillars
Uncle Howard was a home inspector, a business he launched after a long career as a mechanical engineer. He’s one of the kindest and sharpest men I’ve known, a dear friend and an admired human. A few years back he retired and closed the business. He’d become one of the most respected in his trade. He helped countless people with needed perspective as they made big decisions about a major purchase.
Dr. Diaz was my general practitioner when, after a pre-surgical process with lots of blood work, I found out that I was diabetic. Diaz, like Uncle Howard, was well respected in his trade. I needed to listen closely to him at that moment in life. Dr. Diaz retired not long ago. He, too, helped countless people with needed perspective as they made decisions about their health.
We need people to help us in life. We need the perspective of wise folks who will tell us what is right, what is wrong, what needs to change, what needs to stay.
It’s true, sometimes the wisest counsel and encouragement comes and it contrasts what we’d prefer to hear. The house has major structural integrity problems down in the crawl space. Uncle Howard has had to break that news. The test results are back, and I’d like to see you in my office right away. Dr. Diaz has had to make those calls and meetings with patients.
Sometimes the truth lands with a thud. We need to hear it. The naïve person might still buy the house with the foundation issue for some reason; a feature, the price, the location, the status it will bring. The newly informed member of the diabetes club might, still, continue hurting their health and future with sedentary living and cavalier food choices.
Wisdom implies application and course correction of revealed truth. Adherence is still optional – but it is foolish to not listen to wisdom when presented, devastating when not heeded.
The foundation is built on shifting sand and will fall when a storm comes. I’ve heard those words in the past too. Heeding the wise warning and building on solid rock has changed me. It’s made building a life a lasting endeavor, full of purpose and promise.
The foundation of life, for you and I, must be solid, grounded and unshakable.
The pillars that uphold the life we want are, themselves, principled and solid. Principles are things that always work. In any situation, in any context, in any culture – the pillars we choose to build into our lives sustain us well or they don’t. Storms do come. Doctors do call and tell us they need to see us in their office right away.
The sure, undergirding, principled truth that we are unconditionally loved is the solid rock available to us to build our lives on. (Previous posts on the website if you’d like to read them). When we receive and heed that truth, we can pour a foundation of absolute truth, of absolute strength and then build a life supported by pillars of strength that will hold up and hold together the life, the dreams, the family, the relationships, the legacy we want. Our lives will be marked by character traits like Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, a Controlled Spirit. We will live, and be known, for being Grateful and Generous.
Building our lives on the rock – not the sands of culture – wisdom invites us to pursue that here and now, at our workplace, in our neighborhoods, in our homes! Let’s grow together, let’s be humble and learn how together, let’s encourage one another to focus on the truths and wisdom available to us. Ask for help when you get stuck or just down. Look for others to encourage and check in regularly. Build into and from these truths and a revolution – no, a revival will happen.
Chasing success at the expense of such transcendent character being developed in us is unwise and results in becoming the next Ebenezer Scrooge, Grinchy types. Even though they change in the movies…they sure weren’t much fun to be around in the story!
Cheering you as the holidays come. It’s a joy to watch you go and grow!
Peace~
Craig
craig@r12coaching.com
