The Wise and Foolish Builders

“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” — Matthew 7:24

At the very end of His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told a story about two builders.

“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does what they say,” Jesus said, “is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

The wise man dug down deep. It was hard work, digging through the soil until he reached solid rock underneath. Then he built his house on top of the rock.

“Then the rain came down,” said Jesus. “The streams rose and flooded, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it didn’t fall down, because it was built on the rock.”

“But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t do what they say,” Jesus went on, “is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.”

The foolish man didn’t bother to dig down deep. Building on sand was quick and easy. And on a sunny day, his house probably looked just as good as the wise man’s house.

“Then the rain came down,” said Jesus. “The streams rose and flooded, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell down with a great crash!”

When Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were amazed at His teaching. He didn’t teach like the other teachers, who were always quoting what other people said. Jesus taught like someone who had real authority, as if His own words were God’s words. And they were.

What is Jesus’ story about?

Both builders heard the same words. Both of them built a house. And both houses had to face the same storm. The difference was the foundation, the thing underneath that you can’t see.

Jesus says that the wise person is the one who hears His words and does what He says. That’s like building on rock. When hard times come, like storms in our lives, sad things, scary things, hard things, a life built on Jesus will stand firm.

The foolish person hears Jesus’ words but doesn’t do anything about them. That’s like building on sand. It might look all right for a while. But when the storms come, it won’t stand.

It isn’t enough just to hear Jesus’ words. Lots of people have heard what Jesus said. The wise person is the one who does it.

Read it in your Bible: Matthew 7:24–29

Dear Jesus, I want to be wise. Help me not only to hear what you say, but to do it, so that my life is built on you, the solid rock. Amen.