The Right Foundation

In Matthew 7:24-29, Jesus is teaching about the foundation we build our lives on. He said that whoever listens to His teaching and follows it is wise. They’ve built their foundation on solid rock, that won’t shift or move when storms come. But whoever hears his teaching and doesn’t follow it is foolish. Their foundation is placed on sand, which is easily disturbed when winds and rain come.

Every single one of us has built our lives on a foundation. The question is, what type?

Is our life built on the hopes and dreams of others? If we seek to please people in our lives—even if it means that we don’t stay true to our beliefs—then our foundation is on them. This is dangerous, because people change, and when they do, our foundation crumbles.

Are we placing our confidence in things that are fleeting and pass away? If our hope is in material pleasures and physical appearance, then we will most assuredly be disappointed and our lives disrupted. On any given day, our money and our appearances can change.

Do we find our security and strength in the ways of the world? If we place our trust in what the world offers us, then our foundation will always be shifting. The belief system that many in our society hold fast to changes depending on people’s desires.

Or have we planted ourselves firmly in Jesus Christ? If our foundation isn’t steady and firm, our “house” won’t have a place to stand on. If our foundation is on the temporary, then it will fail the moment the “temporary” changes. But, if we are grounded in God’s truth and seek to make Jesus our entire life, then when hardship and heartbreak come, we have a foundation that won’t move. Sure, our lives or “house” may need some repairs and even break apart in places, but because our foundation is secure in Jesus, we can rebuild our lives on the hope we have in Him.

Spend some time analyzing where your foundation is built. One way to know is to ask yourself the following questions:

When someone I love fails or loses their dream, does my world crumble?
When my body changes because of aging, do I get depressed or upset?
When my retirement account isn’t flourishing, do I still feel secure?

If you’ve discovered that your foundation is built on anything other than Jesus Christ, it’s not too late to rebuild. As long as there is breath in our lungs, there’s always an opportunity to change our lives and live fully for His glory.