Thanks in large part to the incredible ways social media has permeated every facet of our modern culture, organizations and individuals alike now believe it is imperative to keep their respective circles of influence updated with as many new developments as they possibly can in fear of losing the interest of those following them.
The old adage of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ has at times caused many to shift their focus away from completing important tasks and projects to simply communicating details about them in hopes that those who are listening will embrace them once completed. The challenge with this shift of focus is that more often than not, frequent communication often produces immediate feedback and the false assumption of support, whereas a focus on completion can often keep things more quiet around us and void of any glamour and fanfare.
While many may fear pursuing the latter, I am beginning to learn and appreciate the importance of building quietly.
Whether it is relating to some personal projects and dreams of mine or just my overall relationship with God, building away from the eyes of men is something I am exploring more and more each day. I have two specific reasons for doing so, both inspired by the following passage of scripture:
“And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.” – 1 Kings 6:7v.
We all are familiar with the wisdom of King Solomon. From his ability to practice incredible judgment in the toughest of situations (1 Kings 3:16-28) to his insight on how to spread unparalleled prosperity throughout all of Israel, there was no one more deserving of the praise and devotion of men than Solomon.
But when it came to building a temple for the Lord, Solomon decided to do something different. He decided to build it away from the eyes of men, so that ‘no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.”
Every stone used to erect the temple was carved and finished at a quarry (or open-pit mine) miles away from the construction site. While the passage does not indicate exactly why Solomon chose to do this, here are two reasons why I think he did:
(First) To show that the temple was the work of God and not of man. Temple building, no different than the construction of any house or building, makes a lot of noise. The kind of noise that would cause anyone standing near a construction site to look up and see who was responsible for it. Solomon’s decision to remove the noise away from the temple site created an opportunity for Israel to give honor to the God behind the work and not the men in front of it.
(Second) To show how God chooses to work in the lives of his people. As believers, we are walking temples for the Spirit of God to live within (1 Corinthians 3:9-17). When we embraced Him as Father, He also embraced us as His people, new temples through which His glory and fame can shine through. And just as Solomon chose to build the temple in secret, God also builds upon us in secret, carving and polishing our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.
Once we gain a greater perspective as to how God works, the discouragement we often encounter from being hidden and feeling ‘out of sight’ will quickly be diminished. God has no problem rewarding us openly, but we must first learn how to build quietly (Matthew 6:6).
So before you wreck your brain again today searching for another 140 characters to keep people interested in what you are about to start doing, consider transferring that energy into just getting things done. Don’t be afraid of being off the grid. Don’t be afraid of having to build in silence.
For nothing can compare to the joy of finishing. Nothing.
