Devotionals for the Heart: What Construction Workers Taught Me

Life Lessons Learned from Observing Construction Workers
A devotional by Desiree Future

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

—Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

One day, I was outside enjoying the nice weather.

Nearby, a bunch of construction workers were working. They had constructed a plank that led to the top of the building they were renovating. I watched them move like a synchronized swim team.

For the purposes of this story illustration, I’ve created first names for each of these men who I observed that day: John drove the pickup truck and pulled in right next to the building. Diego then started to unload the large truck as soon as John put it in park. As he placed the containers onto the ground Donald grabbed them.

Donald walked what looked like five-gallon tubs of something to the scaffolding entryway. He handed it over to Kevin, who then took them up to the second level of the four-story building. This conveyor belt system went on until the truck was empty. By that time, the entire load of five-gallon containers sat on the second floor. Each of the four men then started another system to get the containers to the fourth story of the building. They worked in unison to get their materials to the very top of the structure.

The interesting thing about this was that no words were spoken among them. They knew they had a job to do and did it. John, Diego, Donald, and Kevin all have specialized skills that they used to achieve their goal. That goal was to get the tubs safely to the roof in order to begin using their materials.

A roofer cannot build a house alone. You need someone to build the foundation. Another person to build the walls, then the roofer can add the roof. Then you need an electrician and a plumber to install the electricity and the plumbing. Windows and doors are also needed to make this a suitable house to live in. There’s a lot that goes into building a house.

Sure, someone can build a house alone with their bare hands, but not everyone can do it. God gives us all different talents to use. One person might do one thing better than you. While you do another task better than they can. An individual alone cannot do everything alone.

I understand that you may be single and have to do things by yourself. I’m raising my hand because I am in your shoes, too. However, doing everything is difficult and exhausting. You may want to save money and do it yourself, but hear me when I say you can’t do everything yourself. Just because you have done it before doesn’t mean you still can. When you take on the world alone, some things get left behind. The reason is that you are juggling so many things at once. Just because you can do it by yourself doesn’t mean you have to.

Ask for help and stop making yourself tired. You might feel that asking for help will make you feel less of a capable person. But what it actually does is prove that you know you where you’re lacking the skills to accomplish things on your own.

I’ve been a crafter since I was a child. The first time I was realized it was when my friend and I built a cardboard dollhouse. Mine was a two-story with a chimney and I used cotton to resemble smoke billowing from it. My friend said to me “Wow you’re so crafty.” That was the beginning of craftiness.

Throughout the years, I have created many different things from wall décor, to jewelry, purses, and household items. However, I could never sew at all. If I needed anything hemmed or made smaller, I would ask my mother to do it for me. My next option was to take it to the cleaners and pay them for their services.

Asking for help is a good thing because it allows you to see the talents of others while developing friendships. Having someone or a team of people in your corner is the best thing ever. It allows you to rest assured that someone has your back. Remember, it takes a village to raise a child. I’m blessed to have been raised by one myself, and this upbringing has shown me how truly special and awesome it is.

Let’s Pray: Lord, I ask that you let the person reading this know that everything will be okay. Help them to trust You and accept help when they need it. In Jesus’s Name I Pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “My Help Cometh from the Lord” by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Desiree Future is a self-improvement blogger at “Hope Faith & A Smile” where she pens inspirational and encouraging posts. 

This blog that she started as a place for her upcoming novel turned into something far more than she expected. It developed into a home for conversations with people from all walks of life. By writing about everyday events that occur in her world she makes her posts very relatable. As some commenters have said, “Desiree talks to us and not at us.”

In 2013, she self-published The Pastor’s Heart, a Christian romance novel. The following year in 2014, she self-published its sequel, It’s a New Season.

Desiree has been a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) since 2020. She’s also been a member of a writing critique group through her local ACFW Chapter since 2021. Several of her articles have appeared on the official blog for ACFW. In 2022, she became a contributing author in the encouraging devotional, The Courage to Write.

This child of God may not have a church home yet, but God is first in her life.

Desiree is a cancer survivor who calls New Jersey home. She enjoys traveling to different places to spark ideas for her next article. She likes thrifting and going to the theater to see the latest matinee.

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Connect with Desiree:
Website: https://desireefuture.com/
E-mail: desireefuturewrites@hotmail.com