Perspectives

Matthew 7:24-27… 24) “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26) But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (NIV)

I have never really met anyone who built a life-long dream without some form of preparation. But if one was to do so, it would be the height of perhaps foolishness. Yet it is strange that many times we do just that, we act on impulse. I do that; you perhaps do the same. There is nothing there to anchor us down, nothing there to hang onto when the things that go bump in the night strikes fear into our hearts. Now if we are not careful we will be carried away by those bumps and bruises that come in the night.

Our electoral and social landscape is somewhat like that, it changes as fast as the pollsters can crunch their numbers. The brightest politicians are the ones who are clever enough to measure the mood of the people, not whether issues are right or wrong. People follow them around, listening to their teachings, and when they address these leaders, they show all the right respect.

Have you ever noticed people forget what they have been asked to do on election day? And for that fatal failure, we can compare some politicians to someone who builds their house without a firm foundation. Their folly is of a different order than that of mere people. It is the folly of many politicians who have heard what is right, have acknowledged that it is right, and shout it from the rooftops that it is right, and profess to be following it, but do not put their own teaching into practice. Their lives present a magnificent display, which is sometimes the object of admiration of other people. But they do not have the foundation, nor do they practice the Christian principles people admire.

In contrast to the foolish side of life, there is, of course, the opposite. We do have the good politicians who do think ahead. They know there will be good times when all goes well, but like a fierce winter blizzard, the good that has been accomplished can be swept away and buried. Only those leaders whose foundations are firm and sure can withstand the storms and the tests.

But one difficulty, which faces us today, is a simple fact that we often do not know what is right and what is wrong. Maybe we should ask the question… what do we mean by a firm foundation? The only answer that I can give is that which Jesus taught us in the Bible’s in Scriptures.

Our duty is not to condemn either a person, or an institution, and that today is precisely what so many do. A good politician is one who will give another politician the chance to be heard and promote that part which is good, rather than to condemn everything that has been said.

Do you believe that knowledge becomes relevant – important only when it is put into action? It would be perfectly possible, say for a person to pass an exam in Christian Morals with the highest distinction, and yet never use that knowledge in their own personal life. Our actions must be guided by the knowledge we have gained; theory must become practice, convictions based on what the Scriptures teach must become life to us. There is little point for a politician to come to their constituent for advice unless they are prepared to act on that advice. And yet there are many who do just that. If we want to be effective, we must hear, listen, and do.

Can you think of a word in which hearing and doing can be summed up? You bet! There is such a word, obedience! This is what Christ, who was the greatest teacher that ever walk on the face of the earth said in the Gospel of Matthew 7:24-27… To learn to obey is really one of the most important things in life… To God Be the Glory.

Would you pray this prayer with me…? “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have peace in my heart, I really want that peace, joy, and happiness that I long for. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will bring honour to Your Name.” Amen