Building Houses - Which Little Pig are You (Mt 7:21-29)

Everyone has heard the story of the three little pigs.  Each one built a house but every house was different.  One built a house of straw, but it did not last through the big bad wolf's assault.  One built a house of sticks.  But again, it did not last through the huffing and puffing of the wolf.  

The third little pig was a smart and hard working little pig that built a house of brick.  It took him longer and was hard work but it was strong house.  This little pig was a hearer and a doer.  The little pig was smart so he looked around and got the message.  He was not afraid to do what was necessary to act on the message. This built a house that was strong.

The story of the three little pigs comes from Jesus' parable of the wise man who built his house on rock,.  The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house but it stood firm because it had been founded on a rock.  A foolish man built his house on a foundation of sand, and when the same trials came, the house fell.

How many children know the story of the three pigs?  Almost all of them, they know you have to build your house of brick to keep the big bad wolf away.  If they are brought up in the Church, they hear Jesus' parable of building your house on rock not on sand.  It is a strong allegory that even as a young boy, I put together.

As we grow up we tend to forget this stories.  We take the easy worldly way and build our houses of straw and sticks.  It is, of course, a lot easier to build on a foundation of sand.  When trouble comes and beats against our houses of straw and sticks built on sand - "Our fall is great."

These houses of straw and stick are our lives, our relationships with our families and friends, and even our faith.  Jesus tells us not to deceive ourselves.  Not everyone who builds a house to the Lord will have a strong house.  Like the two foolish little pigs, our weakness allows everything to fall down around us.  To be strong, we are to hear Jesus' words and act on them to build a strong house on a strong foundation. 

The greatness that is in us through Jesus Christ our Savior is the ability to change.  We can always leave our houses of straw and stick and build a stronger house.  My favorite ending to the story of the three little pigs is that they all end of in the house of brick - singing and dancing.  (I think they may have been Pentecostals)  

I know that I used to live in a house of straw and I fell.  Then I thought I had made my self stronger; but, it was only a house of sticks and again I fell.  My most gracious Lord has allowed me to build a stronger house on a foundation of rock hewed from all I have experienced in my life.  Now, I sing and dance with the joy that is in Him.