Scripture – Matthew 7:26: “And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” (NRSV)
When I was in high school, I played Joseph in the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I still have the coat somewhere in a closet, though I am too big to wear it anymore. While the coat no longer fits, the description given to Joseph, “dreamer” still does. I tend to be a dreamer and a thinker, trying to get a sky-high view of the way things are and should be. As Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint” or more popularly from the King James Version, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Having a dream of a better world is necessary to make it happen.
Where I sometimes have problems is actually making those dreams a reality. In this I am reminded of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, where he said that those who act on his words are like those who build a house on a rock, but those who believe but do not act are like those who build their house on sand. For our dreams to reach the highest heights, they need a firm foundation based on good, old-fashioned hard work.
When you hear the voice of Jesus and believe deep in your heart that he is your savior, that is the time to get to work, to build a solid foundation of faith and work so that when we do find the prophecy or the vision to climb to the skies, our houses will stand tall and proud.
I am sure there are times in your lives when you feel deeply dissatisfied with something, with a relationship, with your finances, with your health, or with some social or political concern. When this is the case, start by praying, by knowing that God cares about you and has a vision for your success and salvation. But then, start doing the little things to improve your life. Reach out humbly to your loved one, cut out your daily run to Dunkin’, skip that dessert, reach out in kindness to just one person. These are not lofty goals, but the actions we start today may make our dreams come true tomorrow.
Prayer – God, give me the vision to grow and the determination to nourish my love for you. Amen.
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