“As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans and chosen by God and precious to him- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:4-5 NIV

There’s a story that’s been told many times and in many forms about three people working on a structure. A curious passerby stopped and asked the first worker what he was working on. He replied, “I’m a stonecutter, laying stones to feed my family.” When asked the same question, the second worker answered, “I’m building a wall.” But the third responded, “I’m a cathedral builder, and I’m building a cathedral to honor the Lord Almighty.”

The three workers were each given a task, but they viewed their responsibilities differently. The first kept his head down and laid the next stone, while the second looked out and viewed a bigger project. But the third looked up, envisioning a grand cathedral that would leave a lasting legacy honoring the Lord.

Jesus the Living Cornerstone

In our passage today, Peter tells the Christian Gentiles in 1 Peter 2:5 that they are “like living stones, [and] are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” He goes on to tell them that Jesus is the living cornerstone. (1 Peter 2:6-7) Peter’s audience understood that the cornerstone was the first stone set in a foundation, and all other stones were then plumbed relative to that chief cornerstone.

We are each invited to approach Jesus and accept Him as the cornerstone who laid down His life and took our sins upon Himself. When we do, God builds within us a beautiful cathedral grander than we can imagine. 

A Calling to Leave a Legacy

That cathedral is part of a much larger vision: a calling to leave a legacy that brings Him glory and shares His love no matter our job or responsibility.

I understand how easy it is to put your head down, focus on the task at hand, and lose sight of the bigger picture. I also relate to questioning whether your actions make a difference in the grander scheme of things. 

But here’s the thing: it’s not about what you or I can accomplish on our own. It’s about offering our daily tasks to the Lord and allowing Him to use them to bless others.

Friend, whether you’re a mom folding laundry and making beds, a lawyer preparing for your next case, or a wife caring for your husband with dementia, know that you are chosen. God has a plan for your life. He positions us in the perfect place for His ministry and service. Our responsibility is to stay firmly grounded and in line with our Chief Cornerstone, Jesus, by praying and studying God’s Word daily and putting it into service.

As believers, God has given us a calling. We must ask, “Are we just laying stones, or are we building a cathedral that will leave a lasting legacy of God’s love?” Let’s strive to be like the third worker, who saw the bigger picture, embraced the greater vision, and poured himself into creating a lasting legacy of God’s love.