“The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.” For an elaboration of this verse, read Luke 6.46-49: The Parable of the wise and foolish builders. The people who are doing it right have dug down, digging for what is worth it. They’re not lazy in any sense of the word, but make sure they are going deep enough for it to count. They didn’t settle just for anything, but found the rock. And they didn’t just build, but they laid a foundation. Then the torrent came. Torrents hit good people, as we’ve discussed before. You WILL get pounded. Everybody does. But the “house” will not fail. Lots of things fail: budgets, the military, success, the economy, education, love, and parents, to name a few. Lots of things you trust in will let you down. But this house would not shake because it was well-built. Every part of it was done right. In a project such as this there is by necessity an attention to detail. Thoroughness defines it—using the right materials on a good foundation. This is the person who truly belongs to God, not just the guy who says they belong to God.
Then, in contrast, we’ve got the guy on the sand. The materials and workmanship count, and this guy uses good stuff—probably the same as the other guy. But without a good foundation there’s a fatal weakness, though the difference is hidden. The difference, Jesus states beyond the shadow of a doubt: this guy didn’t put it into practice. It’s not the knowledge that helps you stand against the storm, but knowing what to do with it, and actually DOING it.
It’s weird that the difference is how you live it out. Lots of people say they believe. Lots of people claim Christ, Christianity, and salvation. I guess the proof is in the pudding.
“The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.”