I wrote previously about this phrase but thought that more could be added to that discussion as I have been uncovering the reality of how to bring this into my life in a tangible way. Here we go.
Imagine with me for a moment that I am a student. I am studying auto repair at my local community college and aspire to one day work on "big rigs." As a student, I am going to read about engines, transmissions, emissions control, exhaust systems, etc. Let's say that every night after my classes when I am at home, I stand in my garage looking at my truck then go back into the house. I do this every week for the entire semester. I gain knowledge and believe everything that I am being taught. I thrive on the quest for more insight on the finer workings of combustion engines. This is a good thing since I want to be the best mechanic that I can be. Still, night after night, week after week, I never once open the hood of my truck to get my hands dirty. How am I going to perform when it is time to take my first test? When I graduate with my degree but do not have practical, hands-on knowledge that demonstrates that I have applied this knowledge to my profession how am I going to survive?
There is a spiritual implication that can be drawn from this example and I have already eluded to it... application. I think that this is the hardest part for most of us. I know that it is for me.
Jesus was wrapping up his first major teaching (referred to as the Sermon on the Mount) and concluded with these words:
"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 (Matt 7:24-27 ; italics and bold-mine)."
So, here is where I struggle with this teaching... it's hard to do! Seriously. Practice means that I have to do this regularly. Practice means that I won't "get it" immediately. I may fail. I may get dirty. I may have to take risks that seem ridiculously uncivilized, counter-intuitive and counter-cultural.
There's more.
Notice He says "wise man" and not "good man." Likewise, Jesus says "foolish man" and not "bad man." By the way, the word "man" is being used as a general classification for "person." There are so many good things that we can base our life on (money, friends, family, careers, religion) but Jesus is saying that only a life firmly planted in Him will endure the storms or trials of life. So that means that we can be good people with good intentions but if we are not grounded in the application of what He taught, then we will suffer a disastrous outcome when the storms of life move up against us with full force.
Furthermore, we can even be very religious people who observe all of the Church's rituals and traditions yet still miss the point. The point being that more knowledge plus prayer plus meditation plus confession plus belief don't add up to a life that can endure hardships. It is good to know and believe in Jesus' teachings but it is a wise choice to live like it's true. Let me be very clear. More Church never amounted to a life characterized by total transformation. That type of revolution only comes from living for Jesus.
Another observation that can be made is that it is the storms that revealed the true character of each home. When life is going our way- money is flowing, friendships are growing, careers are secure- we tend to ignore our foundations. Life is good. It is only in the storms that we find out how secure our house- our lives- really are.
Additionally, Jesus assumes that storms will come. He doesn't say "if" or "maybe." Nope. He just says, "The rain came down..." He knows that the storms of life are going to happen and He wants to help us build the best possible life that can endure the trials.
What is the purpose of enduring trials? It reveals our character. Who we are at our core. Just like living in the tension of not always knowing what to do in every situation reveals our character, so do trials. Jesus is telling us here that a life based securely on Him and His teachings will be a life characterized by unshakable confidence in the face of insurmountable odds when we live like what we know and believe in Him is true.
Imagine with me for a moment that I am a student. I am studying auto repair at my local community college and aspire to one day work on "big rigs." As a student, I am going to read about engines, transmissions, emissions control, exhaust systems, etc. Let's say that every night after my classes when I am at home, I stand in my garage looking at my truck then go back into the house. I do this every week for the entire semester. I gain knowledge and believe everything that I am being taught. I thrive on the quest for more insight on the finer workings of combustion engines. This is a good thing since I want to be the best mechanic that I can be. Still, night after night, week after week, I never once open the hood of my truck to get my hands dirty. How am I going to perform when it is time to take my first test? When I graduate with my degree but do not have practical, hands-on knowledge that demonstrates that I have applied this knowledge to my profession how am I going to survive?
There is a spiritual implication that can be drawn from this example and I have already eluded to it... application. I think that this is the hardest part for most of us. I know that it is for me.
Jesus was wrapping up his first major teaching (referred to as the Sermon on the Mount) and concluded with these words:
"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 (Matt 7:24-27 ; italics and bold-mine)."
So, here is where I struggle with this teaching... it's hard to do! Seriously. Practice means that I have to do this regularly. Practice means that I won't "get it" immediately. I may fail. I may get dirty. I may have to take risks that seem ridiculously uncivilized, counter-intuitive and counter-cultural.
There's more.
Notice He says "wise man" and not "good man." Likewise, Jesus says "foolish man" and not "bad man." By the way, the word "man" is being used as a general classification for "person." There are so many good things that we can base our life on (money, friends, family, careers, religion) but Jesus is saying that only a life firmly planted in Him will endure the storms or trials of life. So that means that we can be good people with good intentions but if we are not grounded in the application of what He taught, then we will suffer a disastrous outcome when the storms of life move up against us with full force.
Furthermore, we can even be very religious people who observe all of the Church's rituals and traditions yet still miss the point. The point being that more knowledge plus prayer plus meditation plus confession plus belief don't add up to a life that can endure hardships. It is good to know and believe in Jesus' teachings but it is a wise choice to live like it's true. Let me be very clear. More Church never amounted to a life characterized by total transformation. That type of revolution only comes from living for Jesus.
Another observation that can be made is that it is the storms that revealed the true character of each home. When life is going our way- money is flowing, friendships are growing, careers are secure- we tend to ignore our foundations. Life is good. It is only in the storms that we find out how secure our house- our lives- really are.
Additionally, Jesus assumes that storms will come. He doesn't say "if" or "maybe." Nope. He just says, "The rain came down..." He knows that the storms of life are going to happen and He wants to help us build the best possible life that can endure the trials.
What is the purpose of enduring trials? It reveals our character. Who we are at our core. Just like living in the tension of not always knowing what to do in every situation reveals our character, so do trials. Jesus is telling us here that a life based securely on Him and His teachings will be a life characterized by unshakable confidence in the face of insurmountable odds when we live like what we know and believe in Him is true.
