Monday Memo 1241: Building Purposefully
“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.”— 1 Corinthians 3:10
In his writings, Paul shifted the conversation from how much we work to how we work. Labor matters—but so does quality of the work done. Not everything built will last, and not every effort will endure inspection.
Paul reminded us that while the foundation is Christ, each person builds on that foundation with choices that matter. Some work is durable and enduring. Other work may look productive but fails to last. Labor that counts is careful labor.
Careful labor requires thought, patience, and intentionality. It resists shortcuts. It values integrity over speed and longevity over immediate results. Paul warned that there will be a day when the quality of our work is tested, not to shame us, but to reveal what truly endures.
In a culture obsessed with productivity, this is a sobering reminder. Being busy does not guarantee that we are building wisely. Faithful labor asks not only Am I working? but Am I building something that aligns with God’s purpose for my life?
Paul’s warning about building with care according to one's purpose reminds me of something I saw firsthand when I visited the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. One of the floors highlighted projects that involved translating or transporting the Bible to or for other cultures. All those featured—men like William Tyndale, John Rogers, and Martin Luther—translated the Scriptures, and a man like George Whitefield spread those translated Scriptures through his prolific teaching ministry. I was impressed that each person gave their entire adult life to their purpose of making the Bible accessible to everyone.
That’s when I was writing my commentaries and devotionals and I was encouraged. I went on to finish the New Testament (12 published volumes of all 27 books) and am now working on the Old. I have written and published numerous daily devotionals. There are no shortcuts. None of it has descended to me from the heavenly Jerusalem. I write each book and commentary one page, one day at a time.
Sales have been meager, but all I have written is available for free online to any and all. Now we are expanding into Spanish, French, Ukrainian, and Urdu publications of my work. I'm not sure what God will do with all this after I’m gone, but that’s His business, not mine. My business is to build carefully; His business is to distribute as He sees fit. His will be done.
Careful labor recognizes that time, energy, and opportunity are limited resources. What we build with them matters. God is less concerned with how quickly something grows than with whether it grows on a foundation of purpose that will last.
Reflection
- Are there areas where speed has replaced care in your work? Or where neglect has replaced diligent labor?
- What foundations are you building on right now?
- How might greater care change the quality of your labor?
Prayer
Lord, help me build with wisdom and care. Guard me from shortcuts and impatience, and teach me to value what lasts over what is immediate. May my labor honor You and endure Your inspection. Amen.
Application
Identify one area of your work where greater care or diligence is needed. Slow down, review your motives and methods, and recommit to building in a way that reflects God’s priorities.