What are you building? Many us work feverishly to build our homes, careers, accomplishments and mini-Empires. As American babies, we all seem to have operating instructions attached to our wrinkly, new-born feet: 

This baby is intended to: a) go to school and learn what works and how to succeed b) build until successful c) retire with numerous award plaques. 

We all know how this story ends though. Right? Tis' the season for stories like It's A Wonderful Life and Scrooge (You need to see the Zemeckis remake if you haven't!) Hollywood absolutely gets it. But as Christians, do we truly set our minds and hearts on building for a different Kingdom, rather than the one which only ends in bitterness, relational separation and Scrooge cursing joy-filled carolers in the street?

Building contractors and architects sure must love reading the Bible. The Old Testament is full of people building things. Of course, many of those things are built out of people's desire to succeed and build up their own empire, rather than God's. Take the Tower of Babel for instance. In ancient Sumer, those builders were determined to not only build for themselves, but out-build God.

Following the flood, God had commanded the descendants of the ark to "...fill the earth" (Genesis 9:1). Instead, and in rebellion, the people built the tower to "reach the heavens," just in case God decided to wipe the world of sinful humanity once again. With flying hammers and fresh mortar, they  built "to make a name for themselves" (Genesis 11:4).

Is Malibu Pres feverishly working just to make a name for ourselves? I don't think so. By God's grace and mercy, and through our obedience, we are building for the Kingdom. We helped restore a broken building in downtown LA, so teenagers might come to know the Lord. We built a 300 square foot church in nowhere Baja so empty-handed villagers might come to hold Christ near. And our base camp is now a glorified tent, not to our glory, but for eternal glory to God. The empires we build for ourselves will certainly fade. So instead of counting dimes, invite Scrooge over for dinner this Christmas. That kind of building will never perish.