Build Upon the Rock

Jesus once told a story of two men (Matthew 7:24-29). He called one of them "wise"; the other He called "foolish." What was the difference in these men?

Jesus said that both men built houses. When the wise man constructed his house, he made sure that it had a good, strong base called a "foundation." Even today houses are built on solid foundations, generally on concrete made of rocks. Jesus said that when the wise man's house was finished, a big storm came. The rain fell, the winds blew, and the floods came. But, the wise man's house stood firm. He was "wise" because he built his house on such a good, solid base.

However, the foolish man built his house on a poor foundation of nothing but sand. When the storm came with its rains, winds, and floods, the foolish man's house collapsed. The house could not stand against the storm, because its foundation was too weak.

Why did Jesus tell this story? Was He only interested in teaching people about how to build strong houses? No, Jesus was teaching people how to build strong lives. The "foundation" on which a wise man builds his life is obedience to Jesus' teaching.

If we learn the things Jesus teaches us in the New Testament, and if we live our lives by doing what Jesus says, then our lives will be on a good foundation. And when "storms" come (when people aren't nice to us, when we get hurt physically, when someone we care about dies, and so on) our lives will still be able to stand firm. Each person must be "wise" and build his life around Jesus. Are you wise or foolish?

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