The Wise Man

I sat in on (out, in my office) my first institute class.  It was a New Testament class.  They were talking about the wise man and the foolish man.  The teacher asked what the difference between them was.  He got a lot of different answers  I couldn't hear them all.  There were noisy kids in the lobby--it's an adult-friendly class.  Then he read the verse.

Matthew 7:24-27

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

I heard it in a new way.  I thought about it all day. 

You're wise if you're obedient.  If you do more than just hear.  If you listen and actually do something.  That's what makes you wise.  It's like the parable of the ten virgins.  It's not about who knows or believes;  it's about who acts.

 ²⁵ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

²⁶ And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
²⁷ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

I also thought about the fact that whether you're wise or foolish, the winds still pound you.  Being wise/obedient doesn't prevent the storm, it just gives  you refuge during the hard time.