BUILDING WISELY
Come to think of it- life is pretty strange! We take decisions daily in our life but to begin with, we did not decide to be born and live a life here on earth, which is really the mother of all decisions. The moment we are born, we are seized with a drive to accomplish—-right from the baby who seeks for food and progresses through his milestones to an adult who chases random things. We live as though life is endless and all we possess is forever, yet there is nothing we will take to our certain grave, which is in fact the only certainty here on earth. So if there is anything we ought to examine, it is if our pursuits are worthwhile, if we are building wisely.
“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.” (Jesus in Matthew 7:24-27)
Imagine the picture being painted by Jesus- we see two builders and both are building passionately. Man cannot ‘not build’ once he is here on earth. We all are building and accomplishing things as our lives play out. The difference however is where they build. One person chooses to build on rocky ground, the other on sandy ground. The foundation represents the core values and beliefs that guide man’s life and actions here on earth. He might not realize it but everything he does and accomplishes flows out of these core beliefs. The work we do, the things we accumulate, the memories we leave behind, the impact we make, the influence on society all depend on what we believe- our foundation. A house that endures through this life and more importantly beyond death is one that is built on rocky ground.
The rock represents the teachings of Christ put into practice. The message of salvation through the sacrificial blood of Christ on the cross is unique. A conviction of one’s sinfulness combined by faith in Christ sets in motion a life that is pleasing to God and oriented around God. A willingness to preferentially live for God rather than for oneself is the painful component of a journey that otherwise is unmatched in fullness and satisfaction.
Have we taken a moment to consider where we are building? Build wisely so that our lives are not in vain.
