Your building site
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, which built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25
Hearing and doing, receiving and obeying the word of God establishes life on an unshakable foundation. No matter what threatens this life, it is able to withstand the storm because it has solid and stable footings.
By contrast…
“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act upon them may be compared to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand.” Matthew 7:26
A sinkhole is a cavity in the ground, especially on limestone, caused by weathering and water erosion providing a route for surface water to disappear underground. Sinkholes swallow cars, trucks, houses, & people whole. One day, the ground underneath opens up and everything on the surface caves into the deep underground cavern.
For a long time, life on the surface may appear to be going well.
For all practical purposes, everything seems to be ideal and very well “put together.” I’ve been watching one particular family for years now. I don’t know them intimately but have had many opportunities to observe choices, priorities, and patterns. They have made it look as if the world can supply “the beautiful life.” I actually fell for it when I felt like my world was very ugly and falling apart. How could I forget, no one outshines Jesus?
Appearances can be very deceiving. Occasionally I detected shifting sands underneath them. Subtle hairline cracks in the facade started to show up. The weathering of life and the illusions of glamor, money, beauty, and influence slowly eroded the ground they established life on. A nice, kind, thoughtful family is caving in. They are very likable people. But they are lost.
“And the rains descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst upon the house; and it fell, and great was it’s fall.” Matthew 7:27
Consider very carefully the site you choose to build your life on.
Both the wise and the foolish suffer storms and upheaval. Where will you be when the winds subside and the waters recede?
