“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 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. 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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
—Matthew 7:24-29
This is one of my favorite portions of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus paints such a clear picture on how we should build our lives, or our houses. One builder chooses rock and the other chooses sand. While the houses may look the same at first, their foundations show us very different priorities.
The foolish builder chose what was quicker and easier. Sand doesn’t require much digging, much patience, or much effort. The wise builder, on the other hand, made the slower, harder choice. He prioritized a strong foundation over a fast and easy job, even when no one else could see the difference in the actual house.
The wise builder listens and acts on the word of God. He builds his life on faith even when it’s not the easiest or most popular choice. The wise builder prioritizes things like putting God first, his relationship with his family and friends, and living a life that reflects Jesus.
The foolish builder hears the word of God but chooses not to put it into practice. This may look like prioritizing popularity, wealth, approval, or other earthly things. While these things may look strong for a while, they often shift and change, and when life gets hard they can’t hold the weight of the house.
Storms are guaranteed. Disappointments, doubts, and hard seasons will come for all of us. But when our lives are built on Christ, or the rock, we discover a foundation that holds. Jesus calls us to prioritize what lasts over what’s convenient.
Prayer
God, help us to remember to always build our life upon the rock. Give us the courage, strength, and knowledge to live a life according to Your word and to not let the ways of this world shake our foundation built on You. Amen.
This is great, thank you!