The Wise and Foolish Builders(A)
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice(B) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things,(C) the crowds were amazed at his teaching,(D) 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
It might be the Grade 1 teacher in me, but I can't help but think of this song when I read this passage:
The foundation is the most important part of a home. We are currently in the midst of a basement renovation in our house and we have spent months working on it. As we begin construction on our new bathroom, kitchenette, and rec room, it has been so important to "hear" the advice of trained professionals who know what they are doing. This is my husband's first time undertaking such a large project and it involves plumbing, tiling, and concrete work that he has never done before. He can't just "listen" to what the experienced say and then do whatever seems to be the best at the time--well, he could but in the long run, it won't turn out the way we had been hoping it would. If we avoid the important steps that become the foundation of the project, we risk having our efforts destroyed. (Sort of like the "Rona-Doing it Wrong" commercials!) My husband has carefully followed the advice to ensure that our new basement will be built on a foundation that we will be able to be proud of and that will last for a long time.
Just as the foundation is the most important part of a home, our beliefs and values and how we live them out in our lives is the most important part of us. When we listen, and obey, God's instructions for our lives it forms a solid foundation. We won't be swayed when hard times come and we will be able to stand up against anything that threatens to shake us... and God promises that storms and trials will come. We read in James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him”. We will face troubles, we will be shaken, the rain will come, the wind will blow and it is only through our solid foundation that we are able to make it through. I thought this commentary was good:
Jesus doesn’t pull any punches. Just look at the word “and” in 7:25. Jesus does not say “if the rain falls” or “if the floods come” or “if the winds blow.” He says, “And the rain fell, andthe floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house” (italics mine). Jesus tells you straight-up that storms will come and you will not be spared! And if you’ve walked with Christ for any length of time, you’ve observed that people who hear and do the words of Jesus have the very same crises in their lives that people have who don’t do His words. Obedience to Christ does not mean you will not get rained on. Anyone who tells you that the Christian life is all sunny days has lied to you. Nevertheless, the storms are what test us. Living in the sunshine of life doesn’t tell us much about ourselves. Anybody can build a house that will stand firm when the sun is shining and the wind is still. It is the storms that reveal the strength of your foundation. When you build on the rock you must expect storms, because only storms can show your wisdom to the world around you.
As my husband establishes a strong foundation for our shower in our new bathroom, he is ensuring that he is taking the proper steps to prevent destruction. He put up concrete boards and plastic and primer to prevent moisture from penetrating through the tile and reaching the studs. He is using expensive mortar on the ceiling to prevent it from crashing down on us as we shower. He levelled the flooring to prevent the tiles from breaking as the bathroom is used. It has not been an easy process, each new step has meant another trip to the store for "one-more-thing" and another call for advice and other quick peek online to see what others have done. Establishing a strong foundation for our new basement has been time consuming and long and at times it seems like there is little or no progress.
Sometimes, establishing a strong biblical foundation also follows the same long process with seemingly little progress that you cannot instantly see. Another trip to church and another message from the pulpit, another bible study, another consult to a commentary, clarification from reliable sources, and prayer. Yet through all of this "foundation" work, we are building on a rock and when the troubles rise, we can stand firm. Taking the time to establish a strong foundation will be worth it even if it costs more and requires more effort. Think about this (from the same commentary):
Why did the foolish man build his house on the sand? He miscalculated the weather. He thought every day was going to be sunshine. He thought his life was always going to be smooth. So he figured a sand dune would do as a foundation. Let’s face it; it is appealing to build on the sand. It’s found in a good location. It’s adequate. It’s easy. Who wants to dig down deep if you don’t have to (see Luke 6:47)? It takes more work to build on the rock. It takes more time and energy. And it costs more. It is easier and faster to build on the sand. It’s always easier to take shortcuts in building a home. It’s cheaper to use inferior materials. And for a while, no one may notice. But somewhere along the line, you will pay for your shoddy workmanship. The same is true when it comes to the foundation of your life. It is easier to go with the crowd. It takes less time and energy if you simply maintain a superficial faith. And frankly, most of the time, who can really tell the difference anyway? It’s easier to just show up for church for an hour a week than it is to develop spiritual roots. But there’s only one problem with this mentality, the Bible teaches that storms are lurking on the horizon...Do you know what many Christians do when it starts raining? They try to change foundations. When the sky gets dark, the winds pick up, and the rain begins to pour they pick up the telephone, call the most spiritual people they know, and say, “Help me build a new foundation under my house. It’s falling apart.” But you can’t change foundations when you’re in the midst of a storm. You have to lay your foundation before the storm comes, so that when the rain, the floods, and the winds come, your house is secure. This is also true in the natural realm. It is hard to lay a foundation when it’s raining. Workers have to stop pouring concrete when it begins to rain. The foundation has to be poured on sunny days.
I love that last part. "The foundation has to be poured on sunny days". We need to have our foundation in place first. Just like our basement, when the water is soaking through and damaging the studs and rotting the wood, it is not a good time to think about using appropriate materials. The right foundation is key to preventing catastrophe later. The storms will come...
2 comments:
I especially love that last quote you included in your post. You can't change foundations when you're in the midst of a storm So, so true!
That same line stood out to me too, Tammy. Great post, Pam!
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