Everyday Stewardship

Small Decisions, Lasting Ripples
At Ajanta and Ellora in India, artisans didn’t build temples by stacking stones. They carved them out of solid rock—chip by chip—for centuries. (https://whc.unesco.org/)

When I visited the caves at Ajanta (200 BC–100 AD and 400–600 AD) and Ellora (600–1000 AD) in 2024, I was struck by the sheer audacity of the work. Craftsmen began with basalt hillsides and, using simple chisels and harder stones, carved downward from the ceiling to the floor.

The result: over 60 vast amphitheaters, intricate monasteries, murals, and statues that still stand today. The largest, Kailasha Temple, took nearly 200 years and ten generations of artisans to chisel a hill away to leave the temple and all its decoration behind.

What amazed me most was the process. Each worker removed only small chips of stone. Many never saw the final design realized. Yet their daily stewardship—faithful, patient, precise—contributed to impressive structures that endure.

Leadership often feels the same. We guide teams through projects that may take years, even decades. When everyone on the team sees the objective clearly, each small decision, each act of care, shapes the legacy we leave behind.

Magnificence requires steadfast small steps, with the ultimate design in mind.

Where have you seen everyday stewardship—small, faithful actions—create ripples that last far beyond the moment?