Build on the Rock

Note from today’s Bible reading: Matthew 6-7

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasted two different people – a wise man and a foolish man (Matthew 7:24-27). Both of them built a house. Both had rain, floods, and wind slam against their house. Yet the wise man’s house stood while the foolish man’s house fell.

The only difference between the two structures that led to the different results was in the foundation. The wise man “built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). The foolish man “built his house on the sand” (Matthew 7:26). The foundation – or lack thereof – was the factor that determined whether the house would withstand the storm.

What was the foundation in this illustration? Jesus explained: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). In contrast, the one who “hears these words…and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” (Matthew 7:26). The foundation that allowed the one house to stand was the word of the Lord.

It is inevitable that we will face storms in life – hardships, temptations, suffering, and more. How can we endure them rather than be swept away? We need to hear the words of Christ and follow what He has said.

So build on the rock. Pay attention to what the Lord has taught in His word. However, just knowing what He has said is not enough; we need to put His teaching into practice.