As Amy and I sit on the couch watching TV, we often have the decision of what show do we want to watch together. This isn’t because we disagree with what we want to watch, it’s because the walls are so thin at our Condo, we can hear our neighbors TV. So we can listen to conflicting TV shows, or we can just watch what they are watching.
My first question when I moved in was whether or not the walls were built to “Code” or not. I thought there was no way that the walls could be that thin and meet building code requirements. And yet, they do, the builder did actually meet the minimum “Code” requirements.
If you attended the Safe Sanctuary training recently, you heard me talk about this idea of “Building to Code.” As I do side projects for families, they often tell me that they want to make sure that I meet “Code” requirements while doing the project for them. I usually retort that they want me to build past building code requirements. I explain that “Code” is the bare minimum, not the goal.
At Safe Sanctuaries Training, I likened this idea to our Safe Sanctuary policy. Our policies are not our “goals”, but our minimum. We should not be content with having two unrelated adults in a class room, but should strive to have one adult for every child in the class. Our minimum requirement is to keep children, youth and volunteers safe, but our Goal should be to strive for excellence in our church.
It is funny how many different areas of our Christian lives this “Code” analogy plays out.
Many of us just strive to “meet code” when it comes to our quiet time and devotion time with God. We want to do just enough to get the task done, but not enough to really be transformed by God’s word and calling on our lives.
Many of us just strive to “meet code” when it comes to tithing to the church. Instead of seeing 10% as a minimum, we make it our goal. We look at the budget listed in the bulletin and want to help make sure we meet budget, but often do not give beyond that.
This “Code” analogy can be played out with so many different areas:
Worship attendance
Sunday school attendance
Service and mission work
Volunteering our time in the church.
I can tell you by looking at Amy and my house…just building to Code should not be our goal. Yes, the house meets safety requirements, but it doesn’t make it the nicest place to live. We are often having to "deal" with the fact that the builder just got by with the minimum requirements. Meeting "Code" doesn't necessarily mean that we live in the best house.
I hope as a church, we do more than just the minimum. I hope that meeting “Code” is not our goal.
What areas of your life are you simply striving to “Meet Code”?
My first question when I moved in was whether or not the walls were built to “Code” or not. I thought there was no way that the walls could be that thin and meet building code requirements. And yet, they do, the builder did actually meet the minimum “Code” requirements.
If you attended the Safe Sanctuary training recently, you heard me talk about this idea of “Building to Code.” As I do side projects for families, they often tell me that they want to make sure that I meet “Code” requirements while doing the project for them. I usually retort that they want me to build past building code requirements. I explain that “Code” is the bare minimum, not the goal.
At Safe Sanctuaries Training, I likened this idea to our Safe Sanctuary policy. Our policies are not our “goals”, but our minimum. We should not be content with having two unrelated adults in a class room, but should strive to have one adult for every child in the class. Our minimum requirement is to keep children, youth and volunteers safe, but our Goal should be to strive for excellence in our church.
It is funny how many different areas of our Christian lives this “Code” analogy plays out.
Many of us just strive to “meet code” when it comes to our quiet time and devotion time with God. We want to do just enough to get the task done, but not enough to really be transformed by God’s word and calling on our lives.
Many of us just strive to “meet code” when it comes to tithing to the church. Instead of seeing 10% as a minimum, we make it our goal. We look at the budget listed in the bulletin and want to help make sure we meet budget, but often do not give beyond that.
This “Code” analogy can be played out with so many different areas:
Worship attendance
Sunday school attendance
Service and mission work
Volunteering our time in the church.
I can tell you by looking at Amy and my house…just building to Code should not be our goal. Yes, the house meets safety requirements, but it doesn’t make it the nicest place to live. We are often having to "deal" with the fact that the builder just got by with the minimum requirements. Meeting "Code" doesn't necessarily mean that we live in the best house.
I hope as a church, we do more than just the minimum. I hope that meeting “Code” is not our goal.
What areas of your life are you simply striving to “Meet Code”?
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