City Life Starter

Written by Megan Meier

The Word

“‘Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.’”

Luke 6:46-49 (ESV)

Megan’s Musings

Jesus was speaking to his disciples and to a large crowd from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon (Luke 6:17b). Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, educated and non-educated, had come from all over to hear His Words, be healed, and have their demons driven out. Jesus spoke of blessings and woes, loving your enemies, taking a long look at one’s self first before judging another, and knowing someone’s heart by their actions (Luke 6:20-45). He knew some were there for a “quick fix” and not a long-term change, hence ending his message on building the right foundation.

Matthew 7:24-27 refers to the two characters in the parable as the wise man and foolish man who respectively built their houses on rock and sand. The wise man went the extra mile and dug a deep and strong foundation. After the storm, he might have had a few missing shingles or even a broken window, but his house stood firm. The foolish man built his house without a foundation, and like the two little pigs in the fairy tale The Three Little Pigs who built their houses out of straw and sticks, his house crashed immediately. How come the foolish man built his house on such weak foundation? Busyness? Denial of the foundation’s unreliability or of the storms to come? Or did he just not care? Disasters have a tendency to bring out one’s true character. 

Speaking of disasters, remember 2020? Most of us wish we could forget it (myself included). The very mention of that word gives me flashbacks of toilet paper flying off the shelves, wiping everything down with Clorox wipes (even groceries), of hospital workers (shout out to all of the hospital heroes!) putting on gowns, N95 masks, and face shields, and wiping everything down with Clorox wipes, and sweating immensely while working through claustrophobia and fear of COVID (thank you all so much!). Everyone was tested in every nameable way, especially Christ-followers. The foundation of many lives were brought to light, and many (figurative) houses crumbled. 

Application

What about your house? Has your house stood firm, albeit a few shingles missing, or is it completely ruined? Or is it on the wrong foundation? It’s not too late to start over and rebuild. Start with the foundation of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11). Reading The Purple Book by Rice Broocks and Steve Murrell will help guide you in the Bible of what a strong foundation in Christ looks like. 

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You so much for being the True Foundation of my life. Guide me to build a strong Foundation in You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.