Flood Waters

Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:

He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.

But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.  Luke 6:47-49

I recently had the privilege working with a team that was helping people whose homes had flooded. Even though I got to spend some time with those homeowners, I still can’t fully grasp what they are going through. The resiliency of some of these folks is beyond amazing.

The people had lost a tremendous amount of material things, some of them their entire house. Yet day after day I heard them say that they weren’t as bad off as many others, and that the team and I should go and care for those who were worse off than they.

As I walked through one home that was muddled with a mixture of residue from filthy river water and personal belongs, the home owner looked at me and made a poignant statement:

“This material stuff ain’t where it’s at.”

I knew he had already spent countless hours sorting through things ruined by the flood water, and he wasn’t even close to being finished. The task, with all the decisions to be made, seemed overwhelming. That, along with the fact that the inner walls and cabinets and appliances in the home all had to be removed before the mold took hold and rendered the home uninhabitable.

I later spoke to him about the Lord and eternity. And about how someday all of the material things around us would perish, but that he would go on to live forever somewhere. I told him about what Jesus had done on the cross to win for us forgiveness and a chance to have peace with God, both now and in eternity.

The man listened politely but made no commitment. He said he would consider the Scriptures I presented and what I said.

I respect him for that. A lot.

Accepting or rejecting Christ is the biggest decision any of us will ever make. (See Got God? ).

So, what have you decided?

Have a great day.