Our hearts continue to go out to the people of Japan. In the below thought, I am not making a point about the Japanese people. But, I am noticing how the Bible uses this picture of building on the beach to illustrate an important truth for everyone.
Specifically, a New York Times article reminds us of the physical danger of ignoring wisdom and building in the wrong place. Surely, this is the sort of picture Jesus had in mind when he said if we hear his words and don’t do them we are like a man who builds his house on the beach (Matthew 7:24-27).”
To hear the Words of Christ and not do them is to build on the beach.
Ko Sosaki for the New York Times.
ANEYOSHI, Japan — The stone tablet has stood on this forested hillside since before they were born, but the villagers have faithfully obeyed the stark warning carved on its weathered face: “Do not build your homes below this point!”
Ko Sasaki for The New York Times
Tamishige Kimura, village leader of Aneyoshi, Japan, took a walk with his grandson this week.
Residents say this injunction from their ancestors kept their tiny village of 11 households safely out of reach of the deadly tsunami last month that wiped out hundreds of miles of Japanese coast and rose to record heights near here. The waves stopped just 300 feet below the stone.
“They knew the horrors of tsunamis, so they erected that stone to warn us,” said Tamishige Kimura, 64, the village leader of Aneyoshi.
Read the whole thing here.
Yes, the analogy is perfect.
It happens here during hurricane season – to people who built their homes in flood plains – but it isn’t for lack of education. The state and local media go overboard to make certain that people know how to be safe…if they would just stop building on the beaches.
Reading this post gives me chills. What a wake-up call to how far from reason we can go. As a generation we have come to so trust in technology for everything. And, there seems to be a confidence we take in all trusting in the same things, believing the same things…even if they are dead wrong. Seems to be a good time for inspecting our own locations and the foundations upon which we’ve built our lives. Are we doing the Word, not just hearing? Good time to assess!
Jeanie, thanks for your thoughts. If we only trust Christ and His Word, then we can rest in Psalm 91! I think of that each time I see your site name.