Build
I Corinthians 3: 12-14:  (12) Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, (13) each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. (14) If anyone’s work which he has built endures, he will receive a reward.

In life, we are tested.  In officiating, we are tested.  Our foundation will determine how we endure.   When building a house, the architecture is done up front.  There is not one set of designs made without a solid foundation.  But, the results of the design are not revealed until later—once built and tested. 

What is our foundation in officiating--rules knowledge, health & fitness, video study, being a good crewmate.  We can build a good foundation and it can look good on the surface, but what happens when tested by fire. 

Allen, TX stadium looked good on the surface.  But when it was tested by the elements—crowds, weather, and other elements, it was shown (revealed) to not be structurally sound—cracks were found.  A $60M stadium had design issues.

As officials, we can have a solid foundation.  But, when tested during games and during post game review of our performance, we are revealed.  The question is does our foundation stay strong and the fire/elements refine us and show that we can handle the fire?  Or, does the fire show or cause cracks in our foundation?  Now, it doesn’t mean we are perfect.  The goal is for the fire to refine us, make us stronger, and help us as individual officials and as crews become stronger.

Repairs were made to the Allen, TX stadium, very costly ones—more than $10M.  As officials, we will make mistakes, but how we handle them will determine how much cost is involved.  Our goal is to build on our solid foundation to minimize mistakes.  Even in our mistakes, we can be rewarded depending on how we handle the situation.

In I Corinthians 3: 12-14, Paul is explaining that Christians are rewarded in Heaven, but, the rewards are based what Christians reveal through the fires of life. As officials, we are rewarded by our work on and off the field.  When we handle the fire, the results are more games, getting the chance at the next level we are trying to reach, playoff assignments, bowl games, or whatever the goal we are trying to reach.

To build as an official, we must endure—to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding.  Allow the fires we face to show that our work is worthy of being rewarded.