Leaving Tearing Down to Preschoolers

When I worked in the preschool class at church, the building blocks were a favorite among the kids.  Little tikes would strategically place block upon block until they had created a monument that towered over their small frames.

Inevitably, another child would come along and destroy what they had created leaving only a pile of rubble and tears in its place.  The temptation to tear down a sky scraping masterpiece was just too much to resist.  
The one who knocked down the tower did not consider the consequences of how his actions would affect others.

I would then explain to the tearing down tot that we don't knock down other people's towers.

We are like those preschool towers.  Our Heavenly Builder has been building us block by block strategically creating a beautiful masterpiece.  He builds and builds until someone comes along and tears down.

Sometimes people will intentionally set out to destroy and other times they just happen to bump into us and a piece falls off here or there.

Perhaps someone who was suppose to love and care for you as a child fell miserably short or caused you intentional harm.  Perhaps your childhood was pleasant but someone hurt you or mistreated you as an adult. There are thousands of scenarios that could lend to us being knocked down into a pile of rubble and tears.

At times we even have played the culprit and torn others down either intentionally or accidentally.

A powerful force that is used to tear down or build is our words.

Words will either be used to destroy or build up.  We have no right to go around knocking other people's towers over!  If we are Christians, we should be working with the Lord to build others up to help them become all God designed them to be.

"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."  Ephesians 4:29  

Thankfully no matter what has torn our towers down, we have a Builder who builds up back up if we will let Him.  He is our Strong Tower and our Mighty Fortress.  He can rebuild us and shape us into a glorious masterpiece.

And if you have been the menacing preschooler that has bulldozed a tower or two, today is a perfect day to stop tearing down towers.  Let's leave the tearing down of towers to preschoolers.

Father, please forgive us for ways we have torn others down either intentionally or accidentally in the past. Forgive us for using the gift of voice as a tool of destruction when you meant for it to be used for peace and edification.  I pray that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts would be acceptable to you.  I pray that we would use our mouths only for building up and not tearing down.  

I pray for those who have been victims of the wrong use of words or actions.  I pray for you to rebuild them in Your might and strength into the beautiful creations you designed them to be and that they would glorify and reflect Your light and presence.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.  

Power Verses:  

Romans 14:19 "Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another."

Psalms 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer."