Build Your Spiritual Foundation on the Rock, Not the Sand
Build your testimony and strengthen your spiritual foundation by using your limited resources to build on a rock instead of on the sand, as Jesus Christ taught in the parable of the Wise Man and the Foolish Man in the Bible in the New Testament. Build a spiritual foundation that is based on a rock.
We’ve all heard Christ’s parable of the wise man and the foolish man in Matthew 7:24-27.
If you had a hard time following that, here is a video on it for your viewing pleasure. 😜
Typically we look at this parable and interpret it to mean we should build a spiritual foundation on the rock of Christ, and not the unstable teachings of the world.
Like so many of Christ’s parables, however, there is more than one meaning. Here’s how to build a spiritual foundation on a rock.
Christ’s Explanation on How to Build a Spiritual Foundation
Christ Himself gave another interpretation of this parable to the Nephites in 3 Nephi 18. After explaining the sacrament and the promises we make to God through the sacrament prayers, He then says,
“And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock.”
Then he tells them how to build a spiritual foundation on a rock instead of the sand:
“But whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall, and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them.”
Read that first sentence again:
“but whoso among you shall do more or less than these.”
A lot of the time we only think about what more we could be doing. We worry that we are those who are “doing less,” and we try to bring more and more upon ourselves.
While it is true that we should constantly be trying to improve ourselves, we need to make sure that what we are trying to do is the right kind of thing to be doing.
So often, we forget that life is a marathon, not a sprint. Build a spiritual foundation step by step.
Apply it To Ourselves to Build a Spiritual Foundation
Look at me, for example.
Because of my Crohn’s disease, I have limited energy. As a result, Phillip often ends up being the one to fold laundry, do dishes, and clean the house. It is so easy for me to feel like I should be “doing more” and pulling my own weight, especially when I compare myself to other moms.
Getting used to that definitely put me through the stages of grief.
But again, my energy (or my “spoons,” for those of you familiar with The Spoon Theory) is lower than most people’s. I know that, and since Heavenly Father gave me my body, He knows it’s limitations.
He wants me to be a wise steward with the limited amount of spoons I have.
With that in mind, what should I be doing “more” of with those spoons? Cleaning the house, or taking my kids to the park? Doing the dishes, or doing scripture study with my kids? Cleaning the house, or homeschooling my daughter?
If I were to “do more” of the wrong things, of the things that Christ does not ask of me, at the expense of the right things, then I am building myself (and my family) on a sandy foundation.
The same applies to everyone. When you feel like you should be “doing more,” you need to stop for a minute. Take a look at what you are already doing, and take a look at what you feel like you should be doing more of.
Give yourself the same advice you’d tell one of your friends if they were in your shoes – give yourself the same grace you would give your neighbor.
If what you want to do more of is something that Christ teaches you to do, then great! Go for it! Do more of Christ’s teachings! Build a spiritual foundation on His rock!
However, if what you want to do more of is something frivolous (like feeling you need to join the PTA when you’re already taking kids to eleventy extracurriculars each week), then check what it will replace.
Make sure you aren’t giving up something Christ deems as important in order to do something less important, or more worldly.
Some Last Words
You are only given a finite number of hours in a day. You only have a finite amount of energy. You need to put in the big rocks first in your schedule before you can fill up with sand.
Your resources are limited. Don’t use them to build on a sandy foundation. Instead, build a spiritual foundation on a rock.
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