Wise and Foolish Builders

Any builder knows how important the foundation is to a building. Even though it is not seen, it is what the structure rests upon. Equally important is what is beneath the foundation itself. Jesus used this fact to conclude His Sermon on the Mount by telling the parable of the wise and foolish builders.

"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" (Matthew 7:24-27).

The wise man in Jesus' story built upon "the rock." He dug down until he reached bedrock and then he laid a foundation and built his house. While Jesus was using the illustration of building a house, he was really referring to the foundation or values upon which one builds his life. With this in mind we need to ask what constitutes "rock." The passage itself suggest the words or teachings of the Lord. The Scriptures or the Word of God certainly provides the sound basis upon which to build one's life; "Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). The Apostle James exhorted his readers to "not merely listen to the word," but to "do what it says" (James 1:22). The New Testament refers to Jesus Christ as the incarnate word (John 1:1,14). The Lord himself is indeed "the rock" (see Romans 9:33, 1 Peter 2:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 10:4). If we build our lives upon Christ and the Word of God we are indeed wise builders.

The foolish man chose to build upon the sand because it was easy and convenient. What is the "sand" that so many choose today to found their lives upon? It is the popular, Godless, hedonistic values of the age that caters to the flesh and immediacy. Like sand, these values are always shifting and moving about and do not provide the sure and stable footing like rock. When the storms of life come, and they surely will, the life built upon the "sand" will not stand up against the tests of nature. The crises of life reveal what we have chosen to build our lives upon. We are constantly being fed messages from the media that represent "sand." If we are not rooted in the Word of God, we will be influenced.

The Bible also teaches us the importance of constructing our lives with what is durable and permanent materials. The Apostle Paul wrote this: "If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work (life) will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work (1 Corinthians 3:12-13). As we stand at the beginning of a new year, the question this message raises is, "On what and with what will you build your life in 2010?

Celebration of Light

Two thousand years ago, about the time of Christ's birth, there was a Jewish sect that was called the Essenes who lived primarily on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. The name "Essenes" means "Holy Ones." They lived an ascetic lifestyle and closely followed the Jewish Law. Existing in the desert required hard work and a commitment to community.

Down through the millennia, light has stood for and represented divine inspiration and guidance. Quite naturally light has been a central feature in religious celebrations such as Hanukkah and Christmas. In Hanukkah, Jews remember that during the time of the Macabees the one-day of supply of oil miraculously lasted eight days. At Christmas, Christians celebrate the incarnation of light in Jesus' birth and life.

The Essenes considered themselves to be "the children of light." They viewed the world as being made up of "children of light" and "children of darkness." The Essenes saw a struggle between the forces of good and evil in the world.

One day some years ago while visiting Qumran, the site of their community ruins, I picked up a white and black stone. I have kept these in the pencil tray of my desk drawer to remind myself of this spiritual battle. We are all acutely aware of this today from the 24/7 news about the war on terrorism and frequent reports of crime.

Each day everyone of us has to make choices that will affect others and ourselves. Will we act according to the light of revelation, whether it is what is written in our heart (conscience) or Scriptures; or will we follow the base, lower, and sinful side of self? Will we conduct ourselves as "children of light" or "children of darkness" is the question that we all daily decide. (John 12:36).

In his "Sermon on the Mount," Jesus told his disciples, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16).