Wise or Foolish

I’ve been reflecting on rocks lately—since a church member gave me one for my birthday in late August. In her quiet times with God, as she wondered about a present for me, she gravitated toward something frilly, lacy, or colorful. However, her impression was to give me, instead, this heavy, larger-than-my-palm, red, rock she found on vacation in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I’m supposed to figure out with God what this rock symbolizes.

Well, there are plenty of Scriptures that come to mind. Remember Jesus’ story about the wise man who built his house upon a rock? (The Sunday School song is running through your head right now, isn’t it? Are you doing the motions, too?)

Maybe it’s just me. But I think I’ve completely missed the point of that illustration, which lands me in the foolish category. Perhaps the song has even contributed to this misunderstanding.

Help me out here (Matthew 7): I’m concluding the main point is not about building a strong foundation. Rather, it’s about hearing the words Jesus speaks and then doing what He says.

Look at verse 24. What characterizes someone as wise? Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man . . . .

And what is the therefore there for? What are the words of Jesus preceding this story? Look back to Matthew 5, beginning with the Beatitudes, and just scan the headings in your Bible. Notice how Jesus talks about light, salt, murder, adultery, divorce, fasting, praying, worrying, loving enemies, judging others . . . and the list continues until you bump into Matthew 7:24’s “Therefore.”

Here’s my paraphrase: Okay, so you’ve just heard these words. Now go and do them! Live these words out in obedience. When you put what you’ve heard into practice, you are wise—wise, like a guy who builds his house on a rock.

It’s a different perspective, isn’t it? What words of Jesus have you and I heard recently?

What words of Jesus have you and I heard recently that we are not putting into practice?

How foolish of us. How very foolish.