BUILDING BRIDGES OR DAMS

Photo provided by Patricia Ziegler

We are all given an opportunity in life to build a 

bridge.  It can be building a bridge at work or in 

your family or in friendships.  It's our choice what 

we do with the opportunities we are given.  I have

been guilty many times with building a

dam instead of a bridge.  

When we decide to build a bridge we must 

understand that there will still be an extreme

amount of debris that flows under the bridge.

It will be a wonderful experience for many people

who walk across the bridge in order to get to the 

other side but for some they will only see the 

debris from the tree or the trash that has been 

thrown into the river and is passing under the 

bridge.  This may cause distress in their 

lives even though you built the bridge

to bring joy and assistance.

There will be some that see the bridge as a

means to carry assistance and hope to 

someone on the other side whereas, some

will see the bridge as a means to carry 

harm and discouragement across to others. 

Does this mean that we should never

build the bridge?  Does that mean that 

we are wrong if we choose to build a 

bridge and for some reason a person

decides to use it for evil instead of 

using it for good?  

No, the goal in life is to go forth and build 

bridges of hope, comfort and peace

for others so whenever they find

themselves in the depth of despair they

will have something to hold on to in

order to get across and keep traveling.

One of the reasons the bridge may be there

to begin with is because the person who built 

it had found hardship in that very location and

instead of moving on and leaving a difficult 

path for others coming behind they made a 

choice to stop and build a bridge in order to 

make it a little easier for someone else crossing

that path later. Even though the bridge
were the means of access for someone
who decides to bring destruction instead of
hope across it, the builder isn't to blame.  

Various people crossing the bridge, doing good, 

may have different plans. One may be on his way 

to deliver a gift of flowers while the other 

is on his way to take a meal to someone

for comfort.  There may be a third that crosses

the bridge to bring music and another to bring 

the scripture. They all may be going to the 

same house to deliver something of great 

comfort but the only path is to cross the bridge.

Even though they are not crossing for the same 

reason or at the same time they are all doing things

that bring joy into others' lives.  

We are each given gifts in our lives and I have 

found that my greatest gift is also my greatest

weakness. Does that mean that we should stop

using that gift?  No, but what it does mean is that 

we need to be aware that it can be used to assist

us or used to cause us to stumble.  So by the grace

of God may we learn to use that gift to build 

bridges and not build dams.

With the church being the bridge we can see 

how God uses it to bring about more than we 

could ever dream possible. 

Christ founded the church (Matthew 16:18)  

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, 

and upon this rock I will build my church; 

and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it

Christ purchased it with His blood (Acts 20:28),   

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the 

flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath 

made you overseers, to feed the church of God, 

which he hath purchased with his own blood.

He is intimately passionate about it  

(Acts 9:4)  

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying 

unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me"

It is the body of Christ 

(Ephesians 1:22-23) 

...the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him 

that filleth all in all.

The church is the dwelling place of His Spirit 

(Romans 8:9),  

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be 

that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not 

the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The church is the very instrument God uses to 

take the gospel into the lost world 

(Revelation 5:9)  

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy 

to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou 

wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood 

out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

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