One of the most popular old Sunday school chorus’ is “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man.” I’ve been singing that song for over 60 years, scripture is its source, and it is direct teaching from Jesus. The passage is from Matthew 7:24-27. It is a reminder of some of the basics of our faith that even as children, we can understand.
Jesus teaches us that not everyone will have eternal life with God in heaven. Even though some look like they are followers of Jesus, and they profess to be a disciple of Jesus, there will come a time when God will reject them. Why does that happen? The wise man and the foolish man is the simple answer. Breaking it down, we find that there are two types of people, wise and the foolish. The kind of house they build teaches us which one they represent. The wise man builds his home on a solid foundation, in this case, the rock. Many times this is referred to as "bedrock." It is stable, and nothing can move it. It can be tough to work with, but if you carefully build your house and secure it to the bedrock, then nothing will move that house. The storms may come, the winds may blow, and the rain may fall, but when the storm subsides, this house will still be standing. The foolish man builds his house on sand. Sand is much simpler to work with; it digs quickly and can be smoothed and leveled without too much trouble. After completing the house, it may appear substantial as the house built upon the rock. Somewhere in my life, I picked up a little saying that applies to this story, "looks are deceiving." What looks good on the outside may not be all that great. As a storm approaches the rainfalls the wind blows, the sand becomes unstable. The house moves and shifts with conditions, and ultimately, it collapses.
What is the moral of this story? Jesus doesn't tell stories to tell stories. He relates them with purpose. This story is about life and how people approach life. One is by living your life wisely. Jesus defines what that is. Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is a wise man.
On the other hand, anyone who hears my words and does not follow them is a foolish man. Life is hard at times; it has moments of confusion and situations that are difficult, and how do you deal with those times is very important. If you are building your life on the truths of God, your life will stand even in the fiercest of life's storms. Some of you may need to hear this right now; because the storm is pounding. Doesn't it make sense that you should turn to the wise and all-powerful One, your creator, and the one in control of your eternal destiny? The Word of God, the words of Jesus if heard and obeyed have what you need. The most relevant answers to your life's questions God alone can answer.
Pastor Lynn Rettig
Musselshell Community Bible Church
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