It's The Activity on the Inside That Counts

<sup>We are closing in on the last days of building a new house. It's been a 3 year process, which began with making a decision over whether to remodel our existing home, buy a currently built home or build a new home. In the process, we probably looked at the outside of over one hundred homes or more in various neighborhoods, in varying price ranges. We probably looked at the inside of a third of those we looked at the outside. Why is it that the bigger the home, the nicer it seems to be? Outside and Inside. But looks can be deceiving. In every house we looked at, we could find faults. No matter what the price range. No matter what type of location. Both inside and outside, we could find something we didn't like. 

So, we decided to build from scratch. We found a location that we thought was the best fit for us at this point in our lives. We made the plans the way we wanted to make them and have made all of the necessary decisions along the way. Now the house is almost complete and guess what? We can still find things we wish were different, both inside and out. In fact, you may drive by it and look at the outside or come in and look at the inside and you will find as many or more faults than we do. Guess what? I got news for you. It doesn't matter. There is not a perfect house this side of heaven, inside or outside. It doesn't matter whether your house is small or big, brand new or old, breaking down or newly built, you or your spouse or someone else will find faults or things they would want to change about it. But none of that really matters in the big picture. What matters most is what is "going on", the activity, inside the house that counts. It's never what it "looks like" on the inside or "looks like" on the outside that matters most. We tend to make judgements by what we "see" on the outside.

We fully intend to use our new home to make an impact with people for Christ. Could we have done that in the old house? Yes and we did. Can we do that in a new house? Yes and we will. But the majority of people who drive by and look at the outside, and give their judgement or critique, will never know the "activity" of what is being done on the inside, but God will. And He is the only One we will need to answer to for that. We won't be taking that house or anything in it to the judgement seat. We will, however, be taking with us the "impact" of those experiences on the inside and outside of that house.

What activities, what actions, are taking place in your home? What kind of impact are you making on your spouse, your family, your friends, your neighbors, for Christ and His mission? "Each ones work will become obvious."

9</sup> For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field, God’s building. ¹⁰ According to God’s grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on that foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become obvious, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; yet it will be like an escape through fire. 
1 Corinthians 3:9-15