Martin Luther King, Jr. once said "Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." Recently, I've been given a reason to think about what those words actually mean. My church here in Springfield is in the process of renovating a new building closer to campus, and a few of my friends and I had the opportunity to help with this renovation yesterday.The new building is a church from the late 1800s with extensive water damage and other structural repairs needed. It is a beautiful facility in need of a lot of love. But within the walls of this damaged building, there is hope, there is faith, and there is a future.
When my friends and I entered the church yesterday, we were given a tour. As a project manager lead us around, he showed us the damage while he described to us what each room would look like and be used for once the renovation was complete. In the empty, damaged walls of each room we saw what the future would hold. As he shared the plan with us, we were ready to get to work.
Removing nails, cleaning up drywall debris, hauling chairs, and knocking out walls is all but glamorous work, yet I learned a lot. I learned what it is to take the first step when you don't see the whole staircase. I learned that faith sometimes comes in the form of hard work. The finished product of this church is like the staircase; we may not be able to see it now, but we can imagine how great it will be. Therefore, we keep working, we keep taking those steps in faith, and we know that in the end we will reach our goal.
Life isn't easy. Faith isn't easy. Making your dreams come true is not easy. We must work every day to reach these goals. When we are reaching towards a goal, it helps to find others with the same vision we have. People to work with us, to motivate us, and to help us keep climbing those stairs. Some goals seem unachievable. Sometimes we feel like we'll never reach the top of that staircase. But when we can picture it in our minds, the end is always near. Today, this Glass is full of faith and I'm encouraging others to join me in my climb.
