Doers Who Act

In the Letter of James we are encouraged to “…be doers of the word, and not merely hearers [of the word]…” The Letter of James goes on to say that “…doers who act – they will be blessed in their doing.” (James 1:22-25).

At this moment, every member of Christ Church Cathedral has a unique opportunity to be doers who act through the Habitat for Humanity house we are building. It is only once in a while during our lives that we are given the chance to completely give of ourselves in a way that will have a truly meaningful, life long impact on another person. The opportunity we are afforded is one with no strings attached and no expectation of repayment. It is a gift to a family who is in need. With this Habitat build, what we have been led into by the Holy Spirit is no small thing either. It is huge. It is not a band-aid. It is not a quick fix in an overwhelming sea of need. What we are doing is a lasting, major, and permanent thing. And once it is completed, once the last nail has been driving home, the last shingle put on, and the last coat of paint has dried, well then, we will give it away.

It is common sense that the foundation of a house must be built before the walls can go up or the roof can go on. Before we can hammer in the first nail, the foundation we must build is the ability to contribute the finances Christ Church Cathedral has committed - $10,000. This is the foundation we are constructing right now. Flamingos have been flocking to many members’ homes. On Friday, May 17 we will have a fun cocktail party and auction to raise money for this house. And on Saturday, May 25 we will have a picnic at Coldstream Park and walk, run, or ride our bikes on the Legacy Trail. Each dollar raised in these fun and playful events is another nail, another board, another shingle and another wall.

We are building a house. We are giving a house away. The act of building this house is sacrificial. The act of building this house is a big and bold statement. The act of building this house is really quite remarkable if we stop to think about it. And ironically, by building a house for someone else, we are also building and strengthening our own house of God through the blessings and relationships formed. As James says, “…doers who act – they will be blessed in their doing.” (James 1:22-25).

Brent+