The Wise Man vs The Foolish Man
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
by Dr. Paul Chappell
"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."
Matthew 7:24-27
Only a life solidly founded on Christ will stand against the erosion of sin.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is known across the world for its architectural instability. Rather than noting that the tower is the beautiful bell tower of the town of Pisa, the fact that it is the third oldest structure of the town of Pisa, the fact that Galileo used the tower for one of his gravitational experiments, or perhaps the fact that the tower was built in 1173, thousands of people a year flock to see the tower because it leans. The tower was designed and built to accompany the baptistery and cemetery of the town of Pisa. While many restorative efforts have been sought, the tower continues to lean. Scientists have attributed the instability of the tower to poor planning. The land under the tower is soft, marshy land that is slowly eroding, and the foundation of the tower is only ten feet deep.
Any architect today would tell you that a 179-foot tower weighing 16,000 tons needs more than ten feet of foundation. The poor planning of the building of the tower has led to the erosion and detriment of the structure itself. From 1990-2001, the tower had to be closed to the public so its structural integrity could be fixed, preventing it from falling on the houses and apartments that surround the tower.
If a structure made of stones and metal needs a strong foundation, how much more do our lives need a strong foundation? More dangerous than a crumbling structure is a crumbling life. Christ continues his parables by teaching in our verses today that a wise person hears God's words and builds his life on them. But the foolish man builds his life on sand through disobedience to the words of God.
We've all witnessed the storms of life, whether in our lives or the lives of others. When the winds of trials and the waves of despair hit, the only defense is a life founded on the rock of God's Word. Nothing else will hold against the devil's attacks or life's trials like a strong foundation.
What is the foundation of your life? Do you base your thoughts, words, actions, and goals on the words of God? Do you strive to follow the path God has laid out in His Word? Or is your foundation builton selfishness, vain pursuits, or monetary gain? Only a life solidly founded on Christ will stand against the erosion of sin.
Evaluate your foundation today. Is your Christianity superficial, an outward act, or is your true foundation the Word of God? Make sure that each day you are strengthening your foundation by spending time with God, reading His Word, obeying His commands, and growing to become more like Him. Make sure your foundation is solid, so that when the storms of life come, you will be able to stand with God's help.
