Good morning, Church Family and Friends,
One of my favorite parables Jesus told was about the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24-27). One took the easy way out by building his house on the sand, and he paid a dear price. The other, however, relied on fundamental principles and built his house on the rock. “The rains 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.”
The year Charles Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic, two French flyers left Paris bound for New York City. They never arrived. The two men were impatient, impetuous, and anxious to set a record. They were depending on good weather for the crossing. Before they could properly prepare their plane, there came a hint of clear weather, and the two men decided to risk the journey. The captain of a ship at sea reported hearing a low-flying plane, but the men were never found.
Lindbergh, too, was anxious to set a record. But on that May morning in 1927 when he took off, it was after months of work, practice, and patience. Thirty-six hours later he arrived in Paris. All three men paid a price: two of them at the end, Lindbergh at the beginning.
Several years ago, the western part of North Carolina was hit by a series of torrential storms. The rain went on for days, and the streams turned into rivers of angry water. Bridges were swept away, and mounds of debris were pushed into a churning man-made lake. At the foot of the dam that held the lake was a powerhouse. Most of the workmen in that powerhouse fled to higher ground, fearful that the weight of broken bridges and pilings would push the water through. One man stayed, however, and kept the lights burning. A passing policeman saw the lights and stopped to tell the man to leave. The man declined, as he turned back to his work. “You see,” he said, “I helped build this dam, and I know what it’s made of.”
As a pastor I spend a lot of time with people in the critical moments of their lives. It doesn’t take long to discover the difference between those who keep standing when others go down. These are the people who have taken the time to live their lives well. They have played by the rules and taken no shortcuts. They are at peace with themselves. They have paid the price and paid it in advance. From what I see in these people, I am convinced that life is better when you pay now and go later. When you travel by any other plan, you not only have the payments to make, but you also have to pay the interest.
Wise are those who hear the words of Jesus and put them into practice,
Bruce Jones, Pastor
Imagine Church
