If I Had A Hammer, I'd........

The morning paper included an article today about the death of Millard Fuller, founder and visionary of Habitat For Humanity. Millard Fuller will be remembered for coining phrases like, "sweat equity" and "theology of the hammer". His legacy will also include the construction of some 300,000 homes which are now residences for 1.5 million people around the globe. This giant tree of compassion has grown from a tiny mustard-seed of faith, planted in south Georgia less than thirty-five years ago. Millard Fuller was fond of reminding the world that Habitat for Humanity was not the same thing as (Lottery For Humanity). What he meant was that the modest homes this ministry inspired were not intended to be places of luxury, but safe, affordable, and dignity-building; not a hand-out but a hand up.

When Hurricane Andrew ravaged south Florida some years ago the national media discovered a small cluster of homes standing amidst the rubble of post-storm-devastation. It was an odd sight because all of the surrounding homes were completely destroyed. When one local building official was asked his opinion as to why these modest homes withstood the storm, his answer was simple and straightforward: " These (Habitat) homes were built to code!"

Millard Fuller was a servant of the Kingdom whose life was dedicated to Kingdom of God principles; principles he first encountered in a south Georgia Christian community known as Koinonia Farms. "Koinonia" is the Greek word meaning, " fellowship or community". Koinonia Farms was founded by Clarence Jordan and his wife, Florence some thirty years before the inception of Habitat For Humanity. The Kingdom's seed may take time to sprout and grow, but the Kingdom of God exists in the here and now. Bill Lane, a one-time resident of Koinonia Farms sums things up with these words of wisdom.

"....the sowing of God's ideas does create obedient discipleship. There are some who do genuinely respond. The truth penetrates our hardness, overcomes our fears and destroys our old allegiance. The Kingdom takes root in our lives and brings forth an abundance of faithfulness."

Building "to code" is a life aligned and in sync with God's Kingdom.... A life committed to God's Kingdom will weather any storm that comes. Millard Fuller could have used a hammer to injure someone, or even worse, to tear down and destroy. Instead, he submitted his will to the Master Carpenter and became an instrument for God's use in the Kingdom's building. In Christ a simple man's hammer can become a source of life and hope for millions.

God, help my life to become a tool for your using - a source of hope for the hopeless - a visible sign of your Kingdom here on earth......

In Christ,

Jon(the methodist)