Of Imploding Buildings and Imploding Lives

This morning at 9:36am, The RCA Dome in Indianapolis was imploded. The city has built a new stadium right across the street as a home for the Colts, as well as a large capacity venue for other big events in Indy.

I was actually in the stadium on three occasions:

• In 1991 I watched Penn High School lose a state football title to Ben Davis.
• In 1992 I attended a Promise Keepers Conference with 60,000 other men.
• In 1999 I listened to Billy Graham live at a Crusade.

It’s always awe inspiring to watch a structure of that size come down. News crews arrive, crowds gather – even cheer – as a towering icon is reduced to rubble. Brick and mortar that took two full years and $82 million to build. The site of large scale, televised events for 24 years. Taken down in under 20 seconds.

Or was it?

The truth is it takes a long time and many steps to take a building down. Plans have actually been in motion for several years. Under the radar, streets have been restructured. Traffic rerouted. Furnishings moved out. Charges put in place. Every safety measure implamented. Then…the button pushed, and it all comes down.

Every day we see leaders fall, marriages destroyed, and lives broken. And we sometimes think it happened in a “moment of weakness”. Wrong. That’s just the big moment it all comes down. The truth is, decisions after decision have often been in motion for months, if not years. Under the radar, temptation has been given into. Lines have been crossed. Foolish steps justified. Habits formed. Until one day, the “button is pushed”, and it all comes down.

The steps you and I take today, lead to what we will experience tomorrow. Steps of faith, godliness, righteousness, selflessness, love, personal growth – these lead to building something beautiful. Steps of pride, envy, selfishness, deceit, giving in to the flesh – these lead to a time when it will all come down.

Check out the video below to see the dome implode. But remember: Nothing of great worth is built in 20 seconds. And nothing of great value is taken down in 20 seconds. You’re looking at years of steps that led to a moment it all came down.

Galatians 5:25. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.