Faithfullness on Maple Lane, Ben's story

 “Ben and the Unfinished Bench”

Theme: Faithfulness in Following Through

Ben Carter was the kind of guy who always meant well.

He meant to fix the squeaky hinges at the library. He meant to bring lemon bars to the church bake sale. He even meant to ask Millie from the antique shop out for coffee—someday.

But most of all, Ben meant to finish the bench he’d promised for the Willow Creek playground.

It had started as a summer project. A lovely little thing with a curved back and slatted seat. He’d sanded it smooth, stained it a warm maple color… and then, it just sat there. For weeks. In his garage. Gathering sawdust and guilt.

Every time he walked by it, something in his spirit tugged. He’d shrug it off—busy week, sore wrist, the screws weren’t quite right. But deep down, he knew it wasn’t the bench that was unfinished—it was him.

One afternoon, after a sermon on perseverance, Ben came home and stood in front of the dusty project. He prayed—not a long, fancy prayer, just a whispered one:

“God, help me follow through.”

He turned on the light, picked up his drill, and got to work. That evening, as the sun set and the last bolt clicked into place, Ben smiled. The bench was more than wood and nails. It was a quiet act of faithfulness.

The next week, Millie saw the bench and left him a lemon bar on it with a note:
“Finished projects suit you. Coffee?”

Scripture Reflection:

Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NIV) – “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”

Galatians 6:9 (NLT) – “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

Prayer Prompt:

“Lord, give me the endurance to finish the good things You’ve placed in my hands. Strengthen me when I lose motivation and remind me that small acts of completion matter in Your kingdom.”

Journal Reflection:

  • What good intention have you left unfinished that God might be nudging you to revisit?

  • How does completing a task, no matter how small, reflect faithfulness to God?

  • Is there someone you admire for their consistency or follow-through? What can you learn from them?

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