text:
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who builds 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 foundations on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and do 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."
Matthew 7: 24-27
This post is based on a sermon I heard in church a few weeks ago. God bless my pastor : ) Another very popular message. I've heard it in Sunday School and I've taught it in Sunday School too. What I found very interesting was that the only thing different in this story is the foundation the house was built on. Not the houses themselves and not the rain that came down, the streams that rose, the winds that blew and beat against the house. The only difference was the foundation the house was built on.
I have no building experience but most of us know that the foundation is not seen. You can spend a lot of money on the foundation and to others your site is just an empty plot of land. But how important the foundation is, even more important I daresay than how beautiful the structure of the house is or even the finishing. It might be a mansion but without a good foundation, it is a good for nothing mansion.
We will all face storms in life. Regardless of ethnicity, political affiliations and even religion. What guarantees our standing through the storm is enduring the necessary pain of building on the right foundation. Building our characters and not just our charisma. Building on sand is easy compared to building on a rock. Lashing out in anger at your child is easier than composing yourself and speaking a gentle word. Submitting a C grade assignment is easier than working on an A+ one. Saying yes to an extramarital affair is easier than working on your marriage, after all it is your spouse's fault for not giving you everything you need to be happy.
The easy route is not always the best. During Lent let us consider our ways and be wise.
I am building on the rock so I can stand through the storm.