Two Builders

Editor’s note: Pastor Max Lucado’s devotional for kids You Can Count on God: 100 Devotions for Kids is the children’s version of You Can Count of God, a devotion for all of us dealing with day-to-day anxieties and worries. In it, Max reminds us that we can trust God because He never changes, He loves us, and He is faithful. Enjoy this excerpt and be sure to share with your little ones.

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Everyone who hears My words and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. — Matthew 7:24 NCV

Jesus once told a story about two builders. One was wise and one was foolish. The wise builder built his house on solid rock. The wind blew, the rains came, and the water rose up all around him. But that house didn’t fall. Because it was built on rock.

The other builder was not so wise. This foolish guy decided to build his house on the sand. Maybe it was easier. Maybe he didn’t have to travel as far for supplies. Maybe he liked the view. But when the winds blew and the rains came and the water rose up all around him, that house came crashing down.

What did Jesus mean by this story? Who are the builders? And what are the rocks and the sand?

The builders are you and me and everyone. We’re all building our lives. The question is, are we building our lives on rock or on sand?

The sand is the world. When we listen to the world and let it tell us what is important, that’s like building our house on sand. Because just like sand, the world is always moving and changing. If you count on being the best soccer player, the smartest kid in the class, or the most popular to make you feel important and special, then your house is sitting on sand. What if you sprain your ankle? What if you flunk the test? What if the cool kids decide someone else is more popular? The sand will shift, and your house will come crashing down!

• The rock is God.

If you let Him tell you why you are important and special, then you’ve built your life on rock. Because God never changes. Make Him the most important thing in your life, and no storm of life — no flunked test, no lost friend, nothing in this world — will be able to knock you down.

Lord, help me not to build my life on unimportant things. Teach me, instead, to build my life on You. Amen.

Excerpted with permission from You Can Count on God: 100 Devotions for Kids by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado.

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Your Turn

Hey, kids, are you building your life on the Rock of Jesus? There’s no safer place! There’s nothing more secure than doing life with God, keeping connected to His Word, and letting Him determine your worth. He loves you and He won’t ever leave you alone! ~ Devotionals Daily