I have never built a house…
Though I can claim to doing work on a house that my granddad built…there is probably nothing there that you would put my signature on and claim that it was my work. My granddad, on the other hand, had built a number of homes and I suspect some of them are still standing and being lived in throughout Texas.
A day is coming during retirement when we will downsize (maybe) and will want to build a house just like what we want. But it will be by a professional that is not named “me”!
It was Jesus that spoke about the wisdom and foolish building of a house. You probably know the story very well. Placing the home on proper footing is as important as the final touches that make it a livable place.
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:24-27 NKJV)
Wise men build on a strong foundation. Foolish men build on shifting sand. It’s really that simple. Storms come to all, wise and foolish. Hearing and doing the sayings of Jesus puts us on a strong foundation, and we are considered to be wise.
In Proverbs 9 (the ninth day of my wisdom study), Solomon said, “Wisdom has built her house…” (Proverbs 9:1) and then he goes on to describe the efforts to bring Wisdom to any who would accept it. The simple. The one who forsakes foolishness. The one who lacks understanding. All are welcome to enter the door of the house that Wisdom built.
What is Wisdom? How do you get it? Go to the house that Wisdom built and you will learn.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10 NKJV)
This word for “fear” does not mean something you are afraid of, rather, the Hebrew word essentially means “morally reverent”. Revering the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom!
Having Wisdom produces healthy results. Some of us take longer learning the paths of Wisdom in various areas of life. Health. Wealth. Career. Family. Spiritual Well-being.
Think on it. Selah.
The foolish person is the opposite. She calls for the simple and the one who lacks understanding and bids them to turn from their path to a life of stolen water and secret bread. The person who turns to the path of foolishness does not realize that the dead live in this place, and that the guests are in the very depths of hell. (Proverbs 9:13-18)
Choose properly, my friend…