June 18, 2017 (Proverbs 26:12)

“Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (Prov 26:12)  Continuing on the theme of the past two weeks, we find Jesus Christ making a very clear illustration bearing on this proverb in the latter part of the so-called Sermon on the Mount found in chapters 5-7 of Matthew’s gospel. It  is the parable of the wise and foolish builders which describes two opposite ways in which one may choose to build his spiritual house (or character). One describes the wise builder who puts into practice the teachings which Jesus has set forth, the other describing the foolish builder who fails to practice the teachings of Christ regarding living in a manner deemed righteous by a holy God. There is an acknowledgement that both types of builders will experience very trying circumstances, trials, setbacks, and adversity in the course of daily life. The difference in the two cases is their ability to withstand the storms of life. The wise builder will prove to be an overcomer while  the foolish builder, one wise in his own eyes, will find the end to be that of complete destruction. The deceptive nature of wealth, material belongings, and approval in the eyes of man may allow the foolish builder to believe his life is successful, even until his very last breath in this life. But there will be a Day of accountability for the wise and foolish builder alike, and the ends thereof will be a striking contrast. Unfortunately, Satan has been a very effective deceiver ever since the garden of Eden, and the eyes of most are seriously blinded to the eternal consequences of doing as seems right in one’s own eyes. He who has an ear needs to hear what the Spirit of God is saying to the church in these latter days.