OPIINION —
Ben Franklin said, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” He could have added a third certainty: “The rains and the winds will come.”
Long before Franklin’s time, Jesus reminded us that the foundation you build your life upon will be tested. Here is what Jesus said:
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (Matthew 7:24-27, NLT).
The wise person builds his life upon the teaching of Jesus. The foolish person ignores the teaching of Jesus. Both lives will be tested by the hardships of life. Observe that Jesus did not say, “If the rains and winds come.” He said “When they come,” for they will surely come. And when they come, the life built on the sand of godless teaching will collapse. But the life built on the bedrock of obeying Jesus will withstand the storms that come to us all.
So what did Jesus teach? What are the principles of a life built on the solid rock of the teaching of Jesus?
Jesus taught us to love God supremely and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. He taught us not worry but to trust God and believe that He cares for us. He taught us to repent of our sins and live in the Kingdom of God in which Jesus is the King. He taught us that nothing was more valuable than living in the Kingdom for it is “the pearl of great price.” He taught us that as his disciples we are the light of the world and we should let our light shine before others.
He taught us to help the poor, forgive our enemies and pray for those who hurt us. He taught us to humble ourselves, serve others and live as peacemakers. He taught us that if we refuse to forgive others for their sins against us that God will not forgive our sins. He taught us not to hoard our wealth but to live generously, putting our treasures in heaven rather than in earthly things. He taught us to do to others as we would have them do to us.
He taught us that God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross so our sins could be forgiven and we could receive, through faith, the gift of eternal life. He taught us that we need not fear death because He is preparing a place for us in the Father’s House.
The holy scriptures teach us that when we obey the teaching of Jesus, we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to live “like Christ.” Paul teaches us that Christlike living results from living “in Christ” and letting Christ live “in us.” Paul likens this be being “crucified” with Christ:
“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me,” (Galatians 2:20).
The Living Christ will not live in us as “our Buddy,” “Co-Pilot” or “the Man Upstairs.” He must be our Lord, our Master and the CEO of our life. When Christ is in control, we are able to live out the teaching of Jesus. He guides us to see others as he sees them and to love others as He loves them. Though we cannot do that “perfectly,” we can do it in such a way that others, living in darkness, will see Christ in us and begin to seek Him for themselves.
Yes, the rains and winds will come. And when the storms life descend upon us, those who have built lives on the sand of ignoring Jesus will be flooded with remorse and regrets. Like a man I once visited in a hospital who was crying. When I asked why he was crying, he said, “I am 70 years old. I have lived a selfish life. I never visited one person in a hospital, and now no one is coming to visit me.” He had lived for himself rather than others. Christ had never been in the driver’s seat of his life.
I love the old song, “When the storms of life are raging, Stand by me.” The last verse touches my heart:
“When I’m growing old and feeble, stand by me;
When my life becomes a burden, and I’m nearing chilly Jordan,
O Thou Lily of the Valley, stand by me.”
I am persuaded that the wise person who has built his life on the bedrock teaching of Jesus will hear our Lord say, “Never fear, my child; I am standing with you, and the rains and the winds cannot destroy the life I am sharing with you.”
Take a deep breath. Evaluate your life. Be sure you are not building your life on a foundation of sand. Determine right now to build on rock alone. And remember: Jesus is the Rock of ages.
