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 7:26-27
When storms come, we run to shelter for protection. Wherever that safe place is, our hope is that it will keep us safe and protected during the storm. Whether we realize it or not, we run to places for protection when the storms of life come as well. Unfortunately, not all of the places we run will provide the protection and comfort we are seeking. If we are not careful, we may find ourselves running to places that give us a false sense of safety that will ultimately collapse. Scripture warns against running to the wrong places during a storm.
In Matthew 7, Jesus not only taught listeners to build a strong foundation for their lives on Him. He also warned them not to build their lives on anything but Him. To illustrate this, He told a story. He explained that a person who follows and obeys the teachings of Jesus is like a wise man who built his house on a rock, a firm foundation (verse 25). He continued teaching that the opposite was also true. He said, “anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand” (verse 26). Sand, as you can imagine, provides a very unstable foundation. What happens when someone builds their house on the sand? Jesus explained that “when the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (verse 27). A house built on sand, an unstable foundation will collapse. In the same way, any foundation we set for our lives other than Christ and His teaching will collapse.
As we think about this teaching from Jesus, we need to pause and think about the false foundations we build our lives on. Maybe we are building our foundation on our relationships, career, financial success, or our possessions. Although none of these things are bad, they make a terrible foundation for us. When storms come, this foundation will crumble if we build our lives on them. So let’s heed this warning from Jesus and start building our foundation on Him and Him alone.
Are there any places you’ve been running to for protection during your storms that are not offering the security and safety you had hoped? Maybe you have been running to people? Even the best-intentioned people can let us down. Perhaps you have been running to your career or financial success. These things will leave us empty if they are our main source of protection and hope. Whatever you find yourself turning to, take a few moments to acknowledge them. Then, acknowledge them to God. Confess to Him today that you want to stop turning to false places of shelter and protection during your storm and turn to Him instead.
Matthew 7:26-8:4 (NLT)
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.”
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.
Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”
Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”
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