Monday, March 22, 2010

A Few Thoughts About Bridges

I wouldn't expect you to notice, but many of the most recent pictures I've taken in the past couple months have been of bridges. There has been no explicit reason why. I mean, it's not like I've had this fascination of bridges that dates back to childhood or anything. I'm not an engineer who marvels at their construction. But I do see a trend. 

When I started thinking of bridges, I couldn't help but see some human and spiritual truths about them. For instance, a bridge's integrity is determined by how strong it's foundation is. Isn't the same true for us as humans? How many high profile people have we seen recently who have failed in the area of integrity? How many of us have failed in our integrity at times? When that has happened, what did we need to do in order to begin to put life back together? In order to find stability, we must be rooted in something stronger than ourselves.

In order for a bridge to be of any use, it must be able to withstand a heavy load. No one is going to trust a rickety bridge. If I have any aspirations to be of service to others, I have to be strong. Bridges are often made of the strongest materials, such as cement and steel. But it all comes down to the foundation. It doesn't matter what I'm made of if my personal foundation is an inch deep in sand. My strength can only be found in God. He must be my foundation.

I want to be a bridge. I want to be trusted by friends and strangers alike that I can see them safely from where they are to where they want to go. I want to bridge the gap that leads people to safety in their lives. 

The ultimate bridge is the cross of Christ. As we approach Easter, I'm reminded that what happened on the cross provided us safe passage from the wages of sin to eternal life. What greater bridge has ever been built?