Analogy: Foundation

The Toyota recalls have been on going for a few months now, brakes problem for Prius and hybrids, accelerator pedal problems for new models, SUVs and pickup trucks, and now today it announced the steering problems in Corolla.

Toyota has been doing so great all these years and finally reached the best selling cars, but all of the sudden, because of technical problems like this it's creditability crashes.

All of these problems seem to me very basics, yet, a big car company like this failed to deliver the basic functionality of a safe car. I realized how crucial it is for anyone to be sure to meet the basics by building things out of solid cautious.

Every little things count, even a nut and bolt in a machine, all the small parts added up to be a bigger machine, and from the machine we build moving cars. If done correctly, such basic created a stable foundation to make anything last. If the foundation and the small or big parts of it were built solidly, no trials or test can break it, and it would last for a long time! (Like how my family Camry which is now the 13th year and it has never have things that require big fix!)

The Bible uses this construction analogy to show us how we ought to live. Each believer is part of God's church, contributing our talents and efforts to the kingdom of God. But the work we do must be done with integrity and commitment, so that it will survive the "fire" of suffering and trials. If the foundation we build is solid, it will support generations of believers who come after us! This passage also shows us how relationships between you and God and also you and others around you work. For every kind of relationship, it has to be build upon trust and faith for it to last and grow.

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. ¹¹For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. ¹⁴If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. ¹⁵If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." - 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

I too, am finally starting to rebuild my foundation, which had "burned and shattered" because it was never built properly. At the loss right now, I am this escapee, I can see that God is leading my way to the escape, I can see that God is helping me and giving me these materials (say Bible and books) to build my foundation of faith.

I have confident that I can do this, when I stay on track and keep building it. One day (and I can almost certain to say - very soon), I'm going to have this foundation that can last any flames!! ^_^

Dear God, please give me strength so my relationship with God and me with my family and friends can be rebuild (since I had reluctant the important of real truthful relationships for many years now..). And may God please help me to build this foundation of faith to prepare me for my love relationship!