When I was child, one of my favorite Sunday school songs was “The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock” because it had a catchy little tune and fun actions. The song was based on the parable found in the Bible in Matthew 7:24-27 which says, “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.”
I think it is fair to assume that we all would want to build a house on a firm foundation and not one that is built on sand. In the parable Jesus is referring to our life and not necessarily a physical house—and in this case, I would venture to guess that we would desire to build our life on a firm foundation as well.
But do we take the necessary steps to ensure this?
In the grand scheme of things, every choice we make can lead to destruction, or it can lead to security. Everything we do begins with a thought, and those thoughts lead into our actions.
Let’s face it — this past year has been filled with uncertainty, constant change and many challenges. Perhaps you have faced some storms that have shaken you, like health concerns, financial worries, relationship struggles and job stress, to name a few. When you are building your house on sand, it’s easy to become consumed with the worries and concerns of this world. Even small everyday distractions and fears can prevent you from trusting in God. These worries and fears are what I call “sand traps.” And if we aren’t careful, the sand traps can cause us to fall.
On the other hand, when we choose to build our house on the Rock we begin to build on Biblical truths and the promises of God. When we begin to build our life on the Scriptures, we become solid in our faith, and our actions will follow.
In the parable the storms of life came. But what kept the house from falling was the foundation it was built upon. My friends, storms will come; however, we can be sure that we will not be destroyed by the storm if our trust is in the Lord.
What kind of builder will you be? Wise or foolish? Rock or sand? To be a wise builder, here are a few recommendations you may want to include in your spiritual blueprint:
1. Develop a personal relationship with Jesus.
Allow Him to guide your life.
2. Commit to the Word of God.
Take time each day to read and study the Scriptures.
3. Develop a deep prayer life.
Praying is talking to God and including Him in your daily activities.
4. Commit to a local church.
The Church is the way Jesus desired for His work to continue throughout all the Earth. We need each other and everyone has a part to play.
5. Serve others.
Jesus modeled this for His disciples. Out of an overflow of our love for God and our love for each other we become the hands and feet of Jesus.
These things are the beginning to building on a firm foundation. There are many more ways to become wise in building a life upon Jesus, the Rock, and I challenge you to keep searching the Scriptures so that when the storms inevitably come, you won’t be shaken.
