Folly and Beauty

I want us to look at the two builders of Matthew 7. But I want us to look at them with an outsider’s eye.

I have posted a parable on the same.

But today I want us to look at it in a slightly different way.

Suppose both started building at the same time.

Who do you think finished building earlier? Who do you think spent fewer resources? Who do you think beautified his house more? And who started enjoying the fruit of his labor faster?

You see, to the onlooker, the guy who built his house on sand looked more focused, probably more visionary. He planned better and therefore produced fruit much earlier. And of course he started enjoying his investment earlier. He even had more time to beautify his house.

A foundation takes time, a lot of time. It also requires a lot more resources, even more costly than the ones used for above ground. Add that to the fact that it will never be visible and it might appear foolish to an outsider.

Of course we know that adversity does not come all the time. Many times it may take generations before such adverse weather manifests. It might therefore appear as if the short cut offers better results.

Incidentally, this does not look thus to us only. The Bible has several incidents of this.

But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. (Psalm 73: 2, 3)

But that is not the reality. And not only because this life is not all there is but because the storms will always come to test the buildings we put up.

It could appear okay to take shortcuts in business. Incidentally there are some who even take shortcuts in God’s work as the legit route appears too long or does not assure the kind of returns we desire.

Of course those shortcuts mean that we will start enjoying the fruit of our labor much earlier than those who decide to wait on the Lord for direction just like the one who decides to bribe instead of getting business permits or satisfying the demands of the enterprise.

But the storms will come.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. (Matthew 7: 24 – 27)

The test must come.

Look also at the other passage.

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. (Psalm 73: 17 – 19)

God is saying that He will deal with those shortcuts. Those buildings must be brought down, however stable or beautiful they may be. And it is because God is just.

Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. (Proverbs 20:17)

Yet we know that in that parable Jesus was talking about obedience to His word. And of course we know that His word applies in all of life as the giver is the same One who created everything.

Will we choose to know God’s word with the view of walking in obedience to it?