One of my
boyhood hobbies was building model planes. Every time I opened a new box, the
first thing I saw was the instructions, but I didn’t think I needed to follow
them. In my mind I knew exactly how to put the model together. Not until I had glued
a few pieces together did I realize I had skipped an important step, like
putting the pilot in the cockpit.
It’s easy
to think that we have no need for instructions for our lives, only to later
realize that we’ve messed things up. Which is exactly why Jesus advised that
following His instructions is the way for wise people to build a safe, solid,
and significant life (Matt. 7:24-29). He had
just told the listening crowd to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile, to
forgive enemies, and to sell treasures so that they could give to the poor
(5:39-44). But just getting the instructions isn’t enough. The key is to follow
them. “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to
a wise man who built his house on the rock” (7:24).
Those who
don’t follow the instructions are, as Jesus put it, “foolish” (v.26). To the
world, forgiving your enemies and giving to the poor may seem like a silly way
to build a life, but, take it from Jesus, it’s the wise way.
To build
a rock-solid life, follow God’ instructions. (RBC)
