THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDER

The blueprint for Christian living is built on a foundation of inner righteousness, love, humility, mercy, and integrity. The authority of Jesus’ teachings on the Mount of Beatitudes penetrated hearts not just actions with a call to radical devotion to God. He reshaped their ideals, realigned their philosophies, and redirected their devotion and love. The sermon ended with the parable of the wise and foolish builders; simple yet full of revelation and admonishment for us today.

“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.”

Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

The wise builder

Jesus Christ likens how we handle the word of God to building the foundation of a house. What you are building on will determine who you are: a wise builder or a foolish builder. The wise builder hears the word and puts it into practice. Both the logos (letter) and rhema (spirit) are active and alive in him. He is a true disciple walking in obedience. He is not only interested in just being present; he is interested in living a life reflective of what he has heard. The word builds unshakeable faith in them. 

The Bereans were classic examples:

“And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures each day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. ¹²As a result, many of them believed…”

Acts 17:11-12a (NLT)

They listened with eagerness, searched for truth with enthrusiasm, and applied it in their lives. Oh, what firm grounds these guys would have had! The word of God has been rendered of null effect because many of us are handling it as the Thessalonians. 

The wise builder builds on Christ, the rock of our salvation. He is the eternal cornerstone upon which our destinies and future hinge (Isaiah 28:16, Acts 4:11). He is unmovable, has prevailed against the storms of life; the hatred of the Pharisees and Sadducees, the persecutions of men, the prosecution before Pilate, the scourgings and crucifixion, death, and finally the grave. With Him as the foundation, no power is too great to destroy those who have entrusted their faith in Him. 

The foolish builder: the selective listener

You see, the foolish builder is not an unbeliever nor a sinner. He hears the word, participates in religious activities but is selective in the truth he applies in his life.  He hears the word but does not allow it to have any impact on his life. He is a hearer, not a doer, admires the label of Christ but does not apply His teachings, appreciates but does not appropriate the life-changing power of Christ’s teachings.

Foolish builders build on sand and because the storms have not yet come, they are comfortable. They find solace in alternative foundations. The deception in these foundations is what destroys them in the end. 

Three foundations the foolish builder believes in.

1.     The foundation of human wisdom and popular opinion. 

They trust in the intelligence of humanity than in the supernatural power of God. They believe in philosophies of men, societal and cultural trends but not in the word of God.

“But God has selected [for His purpose] the foolish things of the world to shame the wise [revealing their ignorance]…”

1 Corinthians 1:27 (AMP)

Again, he says in 1 Corinthians 1:25, 

“The foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men.”

Do not get me wrong, philosophy is good, popular opinions are not all embedded in amorality; however, none of these is worth gold compared to the wisdom of God. What do you rely on? The wisdom of God or human wisdom?

2.     The foundation of religion. 

They are religious but have no relationship. Through Jesus Christ, God abolished the strict religious jacket that restricted true worship. He established a firm relationship that restores and gives us boldness to approach the throne of grace. 

“For you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Romans 8:15

We have become sons and daughters, coheirs with Christ, and able to cry out, “ABBA FATHER”.

Such believers embrace religiosity but forget that ours is a partnership underpinned by relationship. Sometimes their religiousness is so impressive it could mask their weak foundation. They honour with their lips, yet their hearts are far from God.

3.     The foundation of materialism. 

Wealth and power seem to have a greater influence on their walk with God. If they are comfortable with their little devotion, financially sound, and have no storms to deal with, they feel satisfied. Money is a defence, but the deeper storms of life cannot be overcome by riches; it is overcome by a firmer foundation.

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the LORD!”

Isaiah 31:1 

Hearing is not enough

Both builders hear the word, but their handling is totally different. One obeys and is established, another ignores and is destroyed. Hearing, therefore, is not the problem; doing is. The only way by which the word we hear can benefit us is when we mix it with faith. Faith is the mortar that holds the bricks together. 

“The Gentiles heard the gospel as much as the believers, but not being mixed with faith, it did not profit them.”

Hebrews 4:2

For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

Hear and act!

The inevitable storms of life

For both the foolish and the wise builder, what they built on the outside, visible to the eyes, looked good. Nothing distinguished one from another until the storms came. Your outside appearance does not validate who you are and what you have on the inside. Life and storms are neighbours, and at the right time we all will face the inevitable storms. These storms represent tests, trials, and tribulations that we face.

Here are various ways the storms of life come:

1.     Personal crises – shake our sense of security

2.     Spiritual battles – challenge our faith

3.     Relational conflicts – test our character

4.     Financial hardships – reveal our true priorities

5.     Health challenges – confront our mortality

6.     Grief and loss – test our love and faith

You may have faced or currently be facing one, a few, or all these storms. How you react talks much about what you have built over the years of your walk with God. Why does God allow the storm? Could He not have stopped it in the first place? Well, storms strengthen our faith! I have had my fair share of storms in life and continue to deal with them. My faith is resolute, my trust is utmost, and my hope is intact because Christ is my foundation. 

What do you need as a wise builder?

Building on the rock requires intentional steps that deepen our devotion and connection to God. 

• Spiritual discipline
• Regular commitment to God’s word
• Unwavering faith to act on the word
• Consistent prayer
• Partnership with others of the same faith
• Sacrificial service 
• Love for God and love for your neighbour
• Resilient hope

Building in a way that lasts.

Prayer with me:  Gracious Father, give me grace to build my life and faith on the solid rock so I am resolute when the storms of life arise. In Jesus name. Amen

Your next steps

• Examine yourself and determine the foundation you are building on. Are you building on sand or rock? 
• Have a personal assessment that reveals the depth of your love, faith, and trust in God.

Friend, the wise builder is not faultless. He is not guiltless. He has only yielded fully to Christ. He obeys when it does not make sense, trusts without gains in sight, commits when it’s difficult, and hopes when darkness is brighter than light he hoped for.

Shalom