But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
Luke 6:49 NIV
Here, as well as in Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus told a parable comparing two responses to his teachings. The first response was compared to a man building a house with a solid foundation. A house would stand despite the storms of life. This represents one who hears Jesus’ teachings and then puts them into practice.
The second way that someone might respond to his teachings is compared to a man building his house on the sand. A house without a good foundation. And that house will not survive the first storm that blows against it. This is one who hears what Jesus has to say, but does nothing with it.
Do I read his words from the Bible? Or hear them preached or taught? Am I familiar with his teachings? That is all good. But what do I do with what I have read or heard? Do his words get integrated into my life, affecting everything that I am and do? Or do I reserve them only for the religious moments in my life? Those times when I am at church or other religious events?
If Jesus’ words are at the foundation of my whole life, then I will survive the challenging times. But if I keep Jesus’ words safely tucked into a special room in my life, bringing them out only at certain times, then they really do me no good. If I have a life not built on the foundation of Jesus and his words, it may look good on the outside. But it will be a life that will easily crumble with adversity.
Put Jesus’ teaching into practice. It is the only way to have real and meaningful security.
