The Wise Builder

In dance class devotionals this week, I learned about how important it is to respond to God when he speaks to me. While we were given time to think about what God was telling us and what our response would be, I had a hard time finding out what God wanted from me. He and I had already had a big discussion about how my life was going that morning, and I couldn't think of any way I could respond to that issue more. So I sat and listened, asking God what he wanted. He reminded me of something I that had stuck out to me in my Bible reading recently. It is found in Matthew 7:24-27.

Most of you have probably heard the parable of the wise and foolish builders. In the past, every time I read it, my mind instantly pictured some animated story while I read. The thing is, I've always been so busy picturing the story that I missed the point: Jesus said that the wise builder was the one who "comes to me, hears these words of mine and puts them into practice." That part never ever computed with me before.

This time, I wanted to know what Jesus was referring to when he said "these words of mine." So I looked up the passage, and found that it was located at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. So "these words" were referring to the content of that sermon.

Later, when I had more time to review those words again, I compiled a list of everything the sermon talks about:

1. Be poor in spirit
2. Mourn, and be comforted
3. Be meek
4. Hunger and thirst, and be filled
5. Be merciful
6. Be pure in heart
7. Make peace
8. Be persecuted because of righteousness
9. Let your light shine before men
10. Practice and teach right commands. 
11. Let your righteousness exceed that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law:
1. Don't just refrain from murder. Refrain from hate, anger, grudges, and don't let animosity linger
2. Don't just refrain from adultery. Refrain from lust. Subject your flesh to discipline and self-control
3. Don't divorce, and don't marry someone who has
4. Don't swear. Let your word stand by itself.
5. Don't take revenge for yourself ("eye for an eye"). Don't resist an evil person.
6. Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you
7. When acting rightly, do it for God and not for men
1. Giving to the needy
2. Praying
3. Fasting
12. Forgive each other
13. Store your treasures in heaven
14. Do not worry. God loves you and will take care of you.
15. Don't judge, you're a sinner too
16. Ask, seek, and knock. It will be given, found, and opened.
17. Enter through the narrow gate
18. Watch out for false prophets. Look at their fruit.

When I had compiled the list, I was reminded of the Ten Commandments. It's a list of rules to follow. But then I recognized that I had listed the things under #11 as individual commands. I didn't even have #11 because I thought it wasn't important. It was only then that I realized that Jesus said all those other things as a follow-up on "be more righteous than the religious." Only then did I realize that the whole sermon was talking about letting your righteousness be a heart response. It was showing people what the kingdom of heaven is like: People's hearts seeking God's. Not just setting yourself apart from the world with rules, regulations, habits, teachings, and laws. Being set apart from the world is nothing more than a natural side effect from being transformed from the inside out.

Jesus was saying that he didn't want a people who honored him with their lips, but whose hearts were far from him. All he wants is all we are. When we've given him everything, it's all he is asking for. Giving ourselves to him is the habit he wants us to develop. The more we do it, the more it becomes our natural reaction. But it's a habit that is built over time, like a man digging a foundation deep into solid rock. It's hard work. It takes time. But in the end, we will be able to stand against the storm.

So I encourage you, just as I encourage myself: When God speaks, don't just listen. When he prompts your heart to do something, do it. Reach out with your spirit to find his. Live by the Spirit, not by the flesh. The flesh will give you a false sense of security, like building a foundation in sand. After all, our flesh is dust originally, and it will fail us. But God's word never will. So be a wise builder. Hear his word and respond.

"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

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it--not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it--they will be blessed in what they do."

~James 1:22-25

"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."

~James 2:17-18, 26