Our strength is vital in the building of our homes and communities. But many times it will go unnoticed and be taken for granted. Yet, like a solid foundation, we offer ourselves for others to thrive and shine even if we’re never fully appreciated.
Most people walk in and out of buildings all day without giving a passing thought to the structural foundations on which they stand. And perhaps this is as it should be. The focus might be on the architecture of the building, or the role and purpose it serves in the community. Once laid, the foundation itself is generally not considered unless there’s a problem.
This is an honorable way for us to serve those in our life as well.
We don’t have to be the center of attention or have our work openly seen and affirmed by others. Of course, this is nice when it does happen, but either way we provide bedrock truths, guiding principles, and a foundation of love for others to thrive whether we’re fully seen and appreciated or not.
For instance, our wife may never see our many prayers on her behalf, or our kids the countless sacrifices we made to protect their childhood and shape their character. Likewise, we might work quietly behind the scenes to meet the basic needs of our community and keep things up and running.
Whatever it looks like, we’re often called to offer our strength in ways that are unseen and underappreciated. Yet we learn not to doubt our worth because every great building must have a solid foundation to stand, even if it goes unnoticed.
To be sure, our families, neighborhoods, and communities all crumble whenever we’re not offering our foundational strength to them.
In the end, provide a solid foundation for those in your life to thrive. Your strength is needed even when it’s not fully appreciated.
Photo by Fons Heijnsbroek on Unsplash
