February 2 Do You Remember Walls Coming Down In Germany?

Leaders, what walls have you built for your team? They get put up to build the structures of the homes we live in, the structures that we shop in and the businesses we serve from. Walls are structures of support, and we build strategic walls in organizations as well.

Walls are unique structures because we build them in our minds as well as physical ones. Some of them are strong, too strong. Some physical walls we make are made of concrete, studs, and wall board while others are built in nature by mountains, or water.

Have you ever thought that the lack of air is a form of a wall? You must do some very specific things to live behind a wall that has no air. We can erect mental walls in our minds that restrict whom we serve, when we serve, and how we serve. While walls give us structure, they also restrict as well.

Have you known anyone with walls that offended you? Think about prejudice or exclusionary practices, those are walls. Our value can be enhanced by looking where a wall of our own might need to be dismantled. Some of our walls could be enhanced and strengthened.

I am curious where your team might say your organization has walls that are restricting your value and service. Perhaps some strategic growth can occur because of moving a wall or taking one down. 

The greatest walls ever built were talked about in Exodus chapter 14. They were the walls that God built in the Red Sea. Between those walls of water, God provided a path that the nation of Israel took to safety. Those walls created a very specific pathway.

It was not a passable pathway until the wind dried it. That wind was channeled by the walls. They provided a very valuable, life granting path. But we put walls up to harm people sometimes. The story talks about how God intended to finally teach Pharaoh about his power.

He specifically brought the people back to the place that the sea walls were built so that the Egyptians hearts would again be hardened. They came running as they saw the Israelites stopped at the shoreline.

When the Egyptians of the story entered the walled area, they found their ending when God brought the walls down. Not a survivor was to be found. So, what are your walls? As brothers and sisters in Christ, do we have walls up that keep us from loving others?

Have I erected walls so that I do not have to be in relationship with others; the homeless, the sick, the dying, the elderly, criminals or gangs? Have I separated myself from others out of hate or disrespect or for a difference of opinion?

Let us look for our own walls today and make sure that they are not walls intended to harm. If we have built a wall, it might have gotten bigger and stronger as time has passed. But it is within our power to deconstruct the wall.

Even if it must come down stone by stone, brick by brick or by block and stud. Let us tear down those walls and find the path set out for us by Christ. What is the first thing you can do about it in the next seven days?

Let us pray, Jesus, you came and showed us a different way. Show us where love can take the place of hate. Help us today to tear down the walls that keep us in our place today and keep us from going down a better path with you.

Let the Holy Spirit be the foreman for the deconstruction job. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,