Building a cathedral

By Tim Middleton | Apr. 6, 2025

Tim Middleton

Many of us will be familiar with the story of a man who was walking along the road and came upon three men working with bricks (a not unfamiliar sight here in Zimbabwe currently!)

He asked the first man what he was doing and he responded, “I’m laying bricks”. (He no doubt was also thinking, “What do you thinking I am doing, duh?”). The man went on and asked the next man what he was doing and his response was different: “I’m building a wall”. Finally, he asked the third man what he was doing and his response was different again: “I’m building a cathedral”.

All were obviously correct in their thinking, but each viewed their work through different eyes. For the first man, he was just doing a job; that was his work. He put one brick on top of another, one after another, backward and forward, higher and higher. The second man recognised his role at a different level; he was not just going through the motions but was motivated with clear direction; he was building a wall. The third man, however, saw the bigger picture, saw what lay ahead in terms of significance. He understood his part and purpose in creating something greater and glorious.

The different men can represent how people view their work. For some, like the first man, it is just a job (whereby in adding the word ‘just’ we are further emphasising the lack of real importance). It is necessary but nothing spectacular. A job passes the time of day and brings in some money; few qualifications are needed and in effect anyone can do it. A profession, however, may require more qualifications while there are standards and ethics involved in what is being done and how it is being done, as found in the second man. A career though (represented by the third man) is more long-term, a commitment to something greater, the pursuit of a legacy.

The above story is further relevant when we read from Phil Knight’s book Shoe Dog that he urged readers “Don’t settle for a job or profession or career. Seek a calling”. He raised the bar higher in terms of significance and purpose. He called on a fundamental belief that our talents are meaningful and lasting, of benefit to others and of glory to God. Furthermore, the reasons he gave, too, are very valid and valuable: if we have a calling, “fatigue is easier to bear, disappointments will be fewer, highs will be like nothing ever felt before”. We will keep going. It is worth it and is significant.

Interestingly, Knight went on to add that “if you don’t know what that “seek a calling” means, seek it”. He recognised that the idea of a calling is something totally new and foreign to many people. Children have no idea of a calling, or what a calling is. They have not heard of such. How often have schools actually sought to help pupils find their calling? We have Career counsellors but no calling counsellors. Consequently, they have no idea, no desire, no teaching. The same applies also to many adults (but then they were children once so they had not heard of it back in the day either). Some think it is a booming voice coming down from the heavens or big neon words written in the sky. Some think it is a matter of ambition or dreams. None of the above are accurate.

A calling is an unmistakable urge to pursue a clear purpose. It follows a vision (seeing what needs to be done) and a mission (being sent) and can be seen as a Vocation (sensing what is needed and then serving it). In simple terms, we may begin to have a sense of our calling when we align our passion to our potential, alongside our principles and pleasure with a clear purpose — all worth five P. We want to do it, we must do it, we have the ability to do it, we gain fulfilment from doing it, we know why we must do it, we can do nothing but it, and above all we believe in it. It is why we are alive in this world. It is a lifelong drive taking us forward, an inner impulse founded on solid beliefs.

Knight called on us to seek a calling – and therefore he calls on educators to assist youngsters to know how and where to seek a calling. We are to seek a calling but not just any old calling but our calling, whether we see it in spiritual terms or social or professional. It is knowing we are born for such a time as this, for such a purpose as this, for certain people. We are called, invited more than ordered. A vocation (which comes from the Latin word meaning ‘to call’) is no vacation yet it feels like one because we wish to be nowhere else. The calling does not come from our parents or the school. We are not to settle for a job, profession or career. Go seek. Build a cathedral. It is your call.