[353 words]
One blade of grass at a time.
That’s how the last remaining Inca rope bridge is rebuilt every year. The Q’eswachaka bridge spans the Apurimac river in the Cusco region of Peru. For 600 years, communities from both sides of the bridge have been assembling to cut down the old bridge and rebuild a new one…totally out of local Ichu grass.
Women of all ages participate in the gathering of the grass and using it to braid into ropes, which the men of the communities will take and twist into strong cables. The braver of the men will use the cables to build a strong enough bridge to support travelers across the gorge for the next year.
The total process of bridging the gap takes only three days, and completion of the bridge requires total cooperation from both sides of the gorge.
In the Lord’s body, there are some bridges between groups of people which need to be periodically re-spanned.
Bridges between younger and older Christians may, at times, need to be rebuilt as they wear out and sometimes, collapse.
The Bible teaches that efforts need to be made by all sides of the gap in order to be able to interact with each other to glorify God and strengthen the church through those relationships (Titus 2:1-8).
In the same way, bridges between husbands and wives may, at times, need to be rebuilt as they might wear out and sometimes, collapse. The Bible admonishes husbands and wives to live in such a way as to model the relationship between Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:22-25).
Bridges between Christian brethren may, at times, need to rebuilt as they might wear out and sometimes, collapse.
Sharing life’s experiences -joy, sorrow, blessings, struggles- with each other, praying with and for each other, worshipping together and serving each other and serving together are materials that can be used for building and rebuilding those bridges.
First and foremost, Christians from both sides of the gaps need to be willing to come together and work as one to build and rebuild those bridges.
Troy Albers
Graeber Road church of Christ
Rosenberg, TX