Jesus: Your Soul’s Sole Passion Prøve

In His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7), Jesus narrated an evocative story about laying the right kind of foundation for your life. In the parable, He compared and contrasted two men who both built a house. The first man dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock. The second man built a house on the ground without any foundation. After a storm, the first house stood firm, while the second was ruined. Both men experienced storms in life. Storms and suffering never practice discretion. They strike at all people in the most unexpected moments. Storms do not discriminate between wise men and fools. The two builders were alike in external ways, but they were unlike each other in critical internal ways. Consider the following distinctions between a “wise” man and a “foolish” man: • Character—A wise man applies the knowledge he has, while a foolish man rejects what is in his best interest. • Authority—a wise man values Jesus’ words and makes Him his authority, while a foolish man hears but disregards Jesus’ recommendations. • Outcome—A wise man will survive life’s storms, while a foolish man’s life will be utterly smashed by storms. How does one build a stable life on the Rock, Jesus Christ? Hearing Jesus’ words is not enough. We must live by those words. Jesus’ message, heard and lived, makes wisdom a reality. He is where the Christian finds his or her passion of life.