A fifteen-story office building was built a few years ago in the downtown area of our city near where I work. This new building was appropriately named "Renaissance," because it represented the first major construction in that part of downtown in over fifty years. Aside from the general interest a project of this kind arouses in passers-by, it prompted me to draw some analogies between the stages involved in erecting a structure like this one and the spiritual building a student of Christian Science is engaged in. Figuratively speaking, building is very much a part of human life. We refer to building strong and lasting relationships. We speak of building a career, building up a business or a practice. Students of the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings are deeply interested in building up from the foundation of a demonstrable understanding of God.
During the time I was observing the construction of the Renaissance Building, I often thought of this Bible passage: "Ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 1:20, 21.
Before the foundation could be laid for the new office building, a restaurant that had been on that corner had to be torn down. Similarly, in order to lay a foundation of holy faith and understanding on which to build Christly character, we usually have some pulling down to do.
