Water Rising

Jesus also told them a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house.” Luke 6:39-49

Having lived a good deal of my life near the ocean, I can tell you about hurricanes from first hand experience. I remember as a child watching debris, toilets, furniture and windows, floating down the streets after a storm. When the winds and waters rise, nothing is terribly safe. The house we lived in was very old, and would whistle and sing when the winds pounded, but was on a deep foundation and held together, even after nearly 200 years. Even then, we have evacuated when called to do so, since a firm foundation and being a good citizen participant go hand in hand.

Jesus is obviously annoyed with his followers who want an easy fix to hard problems and want to find blame in others. He reminds them that their job is to be faith and bear good fruit, to be good citizens and do the hard work of building a deep foundation of faith and good behavior. Today we want a pass, an easy laid back house on the sand. But there are always storms coming and water rising and we must be those who demonstrate love and faithfulness even when things get tough.

Today I ask God to help me do the hard work ahead. May we find ourselves bearing good fruit and daily loving our enemies and working for the goodness of all in the face of many storms.