I have made the statement over the years, that ‘home ownership is overrated’. And when I say that in a ‘tongue and cheek’ manner, it’s usually after I had to do some kind of expensive work on our place that was demanding attention or repair, which as you know …can add up quickly. Yes, there can be advantages to owning your own place, but never forget that it comes with a cost. IYKYK

I would also have to say after owning our own place for 20+ years back in Texas, based on personal experience…of all the things a homeowner might have to deal with over a span of time, the most dreaded news you would want hear is: “you have foundation problems”. Thank you, Texas clay soil. Again, IYKYK (If you know, you know)

That’s probably why one of the more time consuming and costly aspects of building a new home (which we did) involves the ground/slab foundation work. Let’s be honest here – if/when you have that opportunity to build your first home, you are anxious to see it go up and watch all the different layers come together from the time you ‘break ground’ to ‘laying the carpet’ so you can move in and get settled. And really, all that ‘dirt work’ and ‘digging’ and setting forms and laying trenches for plumbing can get boring to watch after a while.

But let me share something rather profound here to set the table for this lesson I’m wading in to: there is no more critically important aspect to building a new home …than making sure you have a good strong and stable foundation. Trust me on that one!

In fact, after Jesus was wrapping up one of His most lengthy and well known sermons (on the ‘Mount’) He shared an illustration that dealt with two different men who were building their own homes. He describes one of these men as being ‘wise’ and the other as ‘foolish’. And Jesus applied those terms based on the kind of foundation on which they built those homes. One of the men built his house on the rock, and the other built his home on sand (Matt. 7:24-27). Care to guess which was which regarding who was wise and who was foolish?

Now the nugget of truth woven into that story is an easy one to miss, or read over, but Jesus wanted it known that there is a significant difference between people who hear the word of God, and those who ‘do…the word of God’. He began by saying: “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine…and DOES them, I will liken to a ‘wise’ man who built his house on the rock” (24).

He then goes on to say “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.” (26)

Where was He going with all this? That’s easy, if you care to read there for yourself, but Jesus makes it quite clear that BOTH houses will be subject to the same identical storm involving heavy rains and winds and floods that will beat against those houses. Luke’s account of this story includes the word ‘shaking’ as well (6:48). And when the storms subside, only one house remains standing. It was the house belonging to the wise man who ‘built on the rock’, and actually put into practice those things that Jesus had taught. James would later write in his letter that those who simply ‘hear the word of God’ but fail to act upon it…deceive themselves (1:22-24).

Oh, the next time you read through that parable of the ’10 virgins’ in Matt. 25, where 5 of them were describes as ‘wise’ and five were ‘foolish’, you might refer back to this story of the builders to be reminded of what separates a ‘wise’ person and a ‘foolish’ one, and make sure to note which group were left on the outside of the wedding banquet in the end of that sobering story, knocking desperately to be let in, only to be told that the Lord ‘never knew them’ (25:11-12).

So yes, having a firm solid foundation is important, especially when it comes to our faith; not only in what we believe …but in Whom…we believe.

Now when a ‘foundation expert’ arrives on your property the first time to investigate why your home is having some ‘issues’, it is quite easy to go into ‘denial mode’ when they start telling you that you have problems, be it due to termites (if built on pier and beam) or soil/clay issues which has caused your slab to move and/or break. Make no mistake about it, the foundation affects everything in that house, from plumbing to doors and windows not closing to roof issues, etc.

When I say go into ‘denial mode, there are reasons. I consulted four different experts before I finally came to grips with our issues, and began the lengthy and invasive work that took time, and was not cheap. But thank goodness there are experts out there who know how to get the job done and the problems resolved. I referred to it back then as the ‘mother of all colonoscopies’, and I would not wish that home maintenance problem on anyone.

I have used this example in the past to illustrate my firm conviction and belief…that many sincere people today in the ‘church-world’, who profess to be ‘Christians’ and ‘believers of Christ’ have some serious ‘foundation’ problems when it comes to what they have been taught from their Bibles. I know, that can sound arrogant and downright offensive to some, as if I am setting myself up to think I am some ‘expert’ in the matters of the Christian faith, which I don’t believe I am. But I have learned a few things these past six years, and I occasionally find myself giving pause and wondering how different my walk of faith might have looked… if I had a better understating of some of these things early on in my walk.

Ever thought or muttered to yourself – ‘IF only I knew back then what I know now…’? Yeah, me too. That’s probably why we are encouraged to ‘forget those things that are behind, and press on to the mark of the high calling found in Jesus’ (Phil. 3:13). Do you know who said that? The apostle Paul, who wrote nearly 2/3 of the New Testament. He too, at one time, had a lot of zeal for the things of God, especially when it came to God’s word; and he stayed busy persecuting the very people of God who had become followers of Jesus. Go figure.

Thank God though that he was brought to a place where despite his sincere zeal and knowledge…he came to realize he had been ‘sincerely wrong’ (Rom. 10:2-3). And while not as dramatic as Paul’s ‘enlightenment’ was, I too had a similar ‘conversion’ experience about 6 years ago, and that is why I have spent the past 5 years writing and sharing here almost daily; with the hopes you too might ‘study for yourselves’ to see if what I share here is truth or not (Acts 17:11. I hope you’ll meet me back here tomorrow.