Touring the great cathedrals in Europe, I was struck over and over again by their majesty. These monuments to the glory of God took centuries to build and still strike awe today!
Building a wall, a support pillar, or a roof was not easy without modern tools. It took patience and sweat, but these people were dedicated to the idea that their labor of love would serve future generations. They stayed on task.
The founding-fathers of these cathedrals rallied the whole community to lay the ground-work upon which their sons would build. Later, as “grand” founding-fathers, many taught their grandsons the skills they needed. A few of the grand-founders might have lived long enough to become great-grand-founders. Even then, they never lived to see the cathedral finished.
Grandparents are the sturdy foundation upon which the whole family rests. We began a work when we raised our children, and now we have the joy of continuing in the little things with our grandchildren, but little things make a big difference in a cathedral. The hand carved woodwork, the hand painted art, the beautifully constructed windows… those details are awe inspiring. What we give to our grandchildren—time, prayer, attention—will add to their greatness, their goodness, their beauty. It’s time to pick up our tools and get busy!
We are not building with brick and mortar. We are building with living stones and making saints for the kingdom.
Who knows what our children and grandchildren will do or be in this life for God’s glory. We may never see those results in our lifetime. We will certainly be tempted to think our contribution is small and doesn’t matter, but when we give what we can with love, it does make a difference!
Building the kingdom of God is a multi-generational task. It was the same with the great cathedrals. Let’s do what we can, and let God use that for his purposes, trusting we will see the results some day from above the clouds.
Piper Fountain is the grandmother of 22 and lives in Lansing, Michigan.
Copyright © 2016 Grandly – The Strategic Grandparents Club.