A very successful home building contractor called his best carpenter in for a meeting. Gene was his best employee. Gene was always at work early and stayed late if needed to complete a job. He trusted Gene and left him alone to do the work he does because he always completed jobs on time and with a favorable profit. He told Gene he was promoting him to lead carpenter with a nice raise to come with that promotion.
His boss Rick told him he wanted him to build a house on a nice plot of wooded land he had recently purchased. He told Gene he was in charge from the ground up on this house. He even allowed Gene to build it using his own imagination as to where the kitchen and bedrooms, etc., would all be. He gave him a budget of $220,000.
Gene was so excited to be able to build this house, and he wanted his boss to be so proud of him. He had never felt so trusted. He could not wait to get the woods cleared out and start on the foundation.
Gene decided he was going to do things his way and make the most profit he could and pocket some of that profit into his own account. Gene had decided to cut corners. Gene used a cheaper mix on concrete and used less rebar in the foundation. He ordered less expensive materials. He used sub standard plumbing and electrical. He used sub standard flooring and cheap windows. He used a cheap siding and figured once it was painted no one would be able to tell the difference. Gene just figured no one would know how much he was able to pocket for himself. Gene reported to his boss that he was using high quality materials.
Gene had finished the house and he asked his boss, Rick, to come and see it. Gene handed his boss the keys. His boss was amazed at the speed it was completed in and he told him it looked fantastic. Rick then said, “Gene, you have been my best and most trusted employee for a long time. You have been a faithful worker to me for many years. Today I am going to show you how much you mean to me by giving these keys back to you. This is my gift to you Gene, enjoy your brand-new home. Merry Christmas! Gene broke down in tears not of joy, but of regret, about how poorly the house was built.
You see, we reap what we sow. We can’t plant weeds and get flowers. We can’t sin and reap righteousness. There will always be reactions to our actions. Just think about it for a moment, every day we are either sowing to the Spirit or sowing to the flesh. What kind of seeds do you sow?
Is our foundation built in Christ and firm? Will our foundation withstand whatever comes our way?
Jim Everett
Galatians 6:8 New Living Translation: Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
