Opps!

read›

Matthew 7:24
Anyone who hears My teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like
a person who builds a house on sand (v.26).

In late 2010, a commercial airline copilot had one
major oops moment. While the lead pilot had left the
cockpit for a break, his clumsy crewman knocked the control
column forward as he attempted to adjust his seat. The jet,
which had been cruising at 37,000 feet, instantly nosedived
more than 2,000 feet. The pilot managed to return to the
cockpit, but then faced a struggle with the panicked copilot
who wouldn’t release his grip on the controls. The tug-of-war
resulted in the plane plummeting another 5,000 feet. Finally,
the captain returned the aircraft to normal flight mode, much
to the relief of 113 terrified passengers!

Like that foolish flyer, we can also behave in ways
that place us—and others—in danger. Jesus described a
“foolish” builder in Matthew 7. Instead of constructing his
home on “bedrock” (v.25), the guy chose a fool-friendly
foundation—sand. Not a good idea, for when the wind and
rains of a fierce storm hit the house, it “[collapsed] with a
mighty crash” (v.27).

This teaching, the finale of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount,
called people to leave their foolish ways behind and to
follow Him. He knew that the “storm,” a picture of God’s
future judgment (Jeremiah 23:19; Ezekiel 1:4), would lay
bare each person’s spiritual state. It would reveal whether or
not they had chosen to follow God (Matthew 6:33), submit
to His will (7:21), and walk with Him in obedience and
righteousness (7:22-23).

You and I might claim to be believers in Jesus—to have our lives built on the
Rock. But if our words and actions deny what He teaches as we foolishly push
forward into sin and reckless living, we’re headed for a major spiritual nosedive.
Release your grip on foolish ways and turn over the control of your life to
Jesus, and begin soaring with Him! —Tom Felten

Read Proverbs 1:7, 10:23, 18:2, 29:11. Note the way a fool acts
and reacts.

next›
What will keep you from acting foolishly? Why is it essential that believers
in Jesus follow Him in obedience?