The Right Foundation

The Right Foundation

Read: Matthew 7:24-27

“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Matthew 7:24

“Christ’s words are of permanent value because of His person; they endure because He endures.”

—W. H. Griffith Thomas

IN WORD Some unbelievers build beautiful mansions with their lives. Others build shacks. The same can be said of believers; there are both mansions and shacks among us, too. But nowhere in this passage does Jesus talk about the quality of the house. He speaks only about the foundation. If the foundation is not good, the quality of the rest of the house doesn’t matter. It will wash away.

The world sees many non-Christians who have done wonderful works of benevolence, given much money to charities, demonstrated kindness, believed in various religions wholeheartedly, and come up with truly beneficial theories. And they wonder: How can the Bible say they do not have salvation apart from Christ? Jesus’ answer: The foundation is wrong. Million-dollar mansions are worth nothing unless built on solid ground.

But there is also an application here for the Christian. We have, of course, chosen the proper foundation. But, astonishingly, some of us have a tendency to build elsewhere. We settle on the foundation of Christ mentally, but we wander from it as we build our lives. And whatever we’ve built on other sites will wash away when the storm comes. For many, very little is added to the foundation.

IN DEED There are all types of houses in the world. Big and small, beautiful and plain, elaborate and simple, lavish and humble. Regardless of the style, the crucial question is the foundation underneath it. Yet it is a crucial question that we often answer casually.

Are Jesus’ words the foundation for our work? for our attitudes? for our habits? for our use of time and money? for our relationships? If they are not, we build our houses in vain. If they are, whatever we build will be solid.