Under Construction: Hard Hat Required
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to celebrate the 28th pastoral anniversary of one of my favorite couples. Twenty-eight years is a long time to shepherd people. During the message, the speaker said something that had the whole church laughing: “Some people need a hard hat when dealing with them.”
We laughed…but on the drive home, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Have you ever responded to someone and immediately realized your words hit harder than you intended? Or maybe you’ve been on the receiving end of someone’s sharp attitude and walked away wondering, What was that about?
That’s when it clicked. Sometimes the problem isn’t the other person. Sometimes we’re still under construction.
I talk a lot about growth because growth is necessary. It’s how we move from where we are to where God is leading us. It’s how our faith matures. Every believer is at a different stage of the building process. Some are still pouring the foundation. Some have walls but no doors. Others have a roof but still need work on the inside. The construction may look different, but the Builder is the same.
Peter knew what it felt like to speak before thinking. More than once, his words got ahead of his heart. Yet Jesus didn’t throw Peter away because he wasn’t finished. He patiently shaped him into the leader the church would need (Luke 22:31–32; John 21:15–17).
The same is true for us.
When frustration shows up, pause before responding. Ask God to examine your heart before you examine someone else’s. Let Scripture become your blueprint, the Holy Spirit your guide, and humility the tool you reach for first. Growth isn’t about pretending to have it all together; it’s about allowing God to keep rebuilding the places that still need work.
The beautiful thing about following Jesus is that He never abandons a construction site. He keeps building, correcting, strengthening, and restoring us one day at a time.
This week, before every difficult conversation, pray, “Lord, build in me what You want others to experience through me.”
Maybe the goal isn’t finding people who require a hard hat. Maybe it’s allowing God to do such a deep work in us that the people around us no longer need one when they encounter us.
As long as God is still building us, we’re all under construction. The question isn’t whether the work is happening—it’s whether we’re cooperating with the Master Builder. And until He’s finished, maybe we should all keep our hard hats on.