First Notes: Truth Tellers

Dear First Baptist Family,

Over two years, I restored an old log cabin on the property where we live. It was a labor of love—pressure washing, repairing windows, staining, chinking, and so on. I really enjoyed the process of learning each renovation step, but one of the harder repairs was surprising: replacing the old door with a new one. 

The door was made of metal and likely came from an old mechanic’s shop, since there were multiple stickers on the door window for oil companies and parts manufacturers. The hinges were rusted and useless. It took both my wife, Jen, and me to remove the door, mostly by demolishing it. 

Then we saw that we would need a new frame. I headed to Home Depot, bought the new frame and door, and headed home, thinking this next step would be relatively easy.

I was so wrong. Installing that door took a full day. Every time we tried to install the door by making incremental adjustments, it just wouldn’t close properly. I realized that the logs adjacent to the door frame were out of plumb, but also that the foundation wasn’t level.

As I described how hard it was to my friend and church member Micky Roberts, he said, “Oh, that makes sense. Doors are truth tellers.” 

“What does that mean?” I asked.

He explained that a door frame immediately exposes whether a house is plumb, level, and square. If a house's foundation settles or its framing shifts even a fraction of an inch, the door is usually the first thing to react.

Life is a lot like that. 

When my life is smooth, everything appears aligned. But then some pressure reveals the levelness of the foundation or some way that the frame of my life needs attention. 

Sometimes I don’t know how stressed I am, but some aspect of my life will reveal it. I may lose sleep, feel fatigued, or sound irritable. Those are “doors” that reveal how I need rest, recreation, spiritual renewal, and sometimes—repentance. 

Those doors can also mean that I need to look at my priorities. Maybe my life isn’t aligned with what I say are my values. 

What is the foundation for your life? Is it solid? Is the frame of your life strong—your core values and beliefs? Pressure always reveals what’s there and what needs work.

Jesus said that a wise person will build his or her life on the foundation of his teachings and life (see Matthew 7) That’s the kind of life that can stand up under pressure.

If your life feels out of plumb, take some time to figure out what’s off. You may need to make some adjustments, or you may need to consider your foundation. 

I'm enjoying preaching about contentment from Philippians and learning a lot through my studies. I hope that you're considering your own life as we think about how Paul was able to live with contentment and joy even in a hard situation. If you're discontent, that may be a “door" that's telling you the truth. Pay attention to that and ask the Lord to reveal what needs to change.

This Sunday Paul Bagai will be preaching in continuance of our series “Enough: Contentment, Joy, and Peace for an Anxious Generation.” I will be preaching at our sister church, Mount Zion Baptist Church, for their annual homecoming. Pray for me and for Paul, and if anyone would like to come along and worship with Mount Zion, I know they would appreciate the fellowship. 

We have a big mission: We Help People Find and Follow Jesus. May your life be a witness to the truth of Jesus this week as you help others discover the sure foundation we have in Him.

With love,

Pastor Brent McDougal