Am I a builder or a wrecker?

I watched them tearing a building down,
A gang of men in a busy town.
With a ho-heave-ho and lusty yell,
They swung a beam and a sidewall fell.

I asked the foreman, “Are these men skilled,
The men you’d hire if you had to build?” 

He gave me a laugh and said, “No indeed!
Just common labor is all I need.
I can easily wreck in a day or two
What builders have taken a year to do.”

And I thought to myself as I went my way,
Which of these two roles have I tried to play?

Am I a builder who works with care,
Measuring life by the rule and square?
Am I shaping my deeds by a well-made plan,
Patiently doing the best I can?

Or am I a wrecker who walks the town,
Content with the labor of tearing down?

This poem by Edgar Guest raises an important and serious question for all of us: “Am I a builder or a wrecker?”

Wreckers in life are good at discouraging. Depressing. Demoralizing. Depreciating. And destroying. They know how to undermine peace and unity amongst the team. Sometimes it’s a subtle word. Maybe it’s an overt action. Juicy gossip. An unfounded charge. Or just a critical spirit that finds fault with everything. And everyone.

Builders in life are skilled at encouraging. Edifying. Educating. Enlightening. Energizing. And Elevating. They know how to bring a smile to your face. Lift your spirit. Warm your heart. Put a spring in your step. Their friendships are closer. Their homes are happier. Fellow team members are  built up by their very presence. They know how to say a good word. Offer a helping hand. Building up and edifying should be the desire and work of every human.  

What about you? And me? It’s a fair question to ask: “Am I a builder or a wrecker?”