Beyond Appearances: Examining What We’re Building
- mlcrendon
- Feb 3
- 5 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
What Are You Building — and How Long Will It Last?
Examining Our Foundations Through Obedience, Depth, and Surrender
Many of us are trying to build something with our lives — a family, a career, a ministry, a reputation, a future we hope will last. Jesus asks a far more confronting question than what we are building. He asks HOW?
What are you building with your life?
Will it still stand when pressure comes?
Empty Words Without Surrendered Action
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46)
This is a scary verse. Jesus directly challenges superficial faith. He is addressing the verbal confession versus the actual application. How many of us say He is Lord, but where is the evidence of obedience and a surrendered life?
Jesus speaks directly to those who call Him “Lord” with their mouths but have no follow-through. The sound is clear, yet they live disconnected from His voice and direction. His words aren’t harsh, but they are searching. They invite us to look beneath appearances and activity and ask an honest question: Is my life built on obedience, or only on intention?
Surrender and obedience are the only postures for transformation!
Incomplete Discipleship
“Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:” Luke: 47
Three simple actions lead to complete discipleship: Come, Hear, Do -, but we usually get stuck at the second.
Many come, thousands hear the truth, but few take measurable, obedient action. Faith is not just drawing close. It is not passive listening. It requires movement and momentum. It is worth asking why we stop in the process? Why do we fail to follow through?
Jesus takes the lesson further and compares two responses: one is complete discipleship, the other is misaligned.
The Wise Builder: Digging Deep Is Costly
"They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built." (Luke 6:48)
Digging deep takes significant time! The effort of showing up and persevering in faithfulness—shovelling, shifting, sweating—is no small feat. It is not easy to break through rock. I have tried to crack concrete by hand to reach the soil beneath, and it took me an hour just to fracture the surface.
Foundations built on rock are intentional. Obedience is NOT convenient! It may not even feel efficient. We cannot build anything lasting on convenience, ego, or rooted in anxiety, comparison, or pride. These will all eventually fail and crumble.
There is no drive-through discipleship. We have to go deeper.
Trials Don’t Test Appearances - They Test Foundations
Storms eventually come; they are part of our human experience and fuel for personal growth. Trials, loss, pressure, disappointment—none of us is exempt. This parable reminds us that storms don't destroy houses; they reveal foundations.
The torrents that rise and rage may seem like unnecessary suffering, but they uncover our true spiritual stability, which only comes from deep, costly obedience, not surface belief. We may resent the challenges, wish they were over, and pray for swift relief, but we may be trying to bypass the evidence of victory - proving that our foundations are secure!
The Foolish Builder: Activity Without Alignment
The second builder arrived, listened, and took action. The issue wasn't his effort; it was his lack of alignment. He rushed ahead, constructing quickly without a solid foundation.
I believe this builder had good intentions. He heard and understood that he was meant to build. He had a vision and wanted to respond, but he was not aligned with the architect's design and direction.
"But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed, and its destruction was complete.” (Luke 6:49)
Of course, it's much easier to build without digging deep. However, he is described as foolish, as what seemed impressive on the surface ultimately collapsed under scrutiny.
Redefining Success
Our metrics for success typically include size, visibility, numbers, and influence, which differ
greatly from God's measurements. He values faithfulness in hidden and underground places.
Our foundation is anchored in our relationship with Him and His presence.
While we focus on building the temporary, He calls us to build with wisdom and care. Our work must carry eternal weight and value.
It matters what you build and how you build it; it must reflect the kingdom!
The invitation is not to build faster or higher, but deeper. We are called to dig into obedience, faithfulness, and surrender, even when the process is slow, costly, and unseen. What is built on Him will stand.
While we are focused on building the temporary, He is calling us to build carefully with wisdom. It must have eternal weight and value.
What is Your Response?
The offended are being removed, and their empires are being dismantled when they refuse to align with the kingdom-building blueprint. We have wasted too much time on our own agendas.
Jesus didn't take everyone with Him; in fact, over 70 left because they couldn't handle or align with the truth—not just His teachings, but actually following Him further. Not everyone will join or follow what He is doing. The personal platform kingdom construction era is over!
We are currently at a crucial pivot point: those who pivot will advance into new territory, build, and establish, while those who remain locked in their positions will miss where the Spirit is preparing. It is time to build wisely, faithfully, and for long-term kingdom advancement.
Align, Follow, and Obey - Or Get Left Behind!
🪴Reflection Questions
What am I currently building my life around—God’s blueprint or my own agenda?
Where might my faith look solid on the surface but lack depth beneath?
What storms have revealed the strength—or weakness—of my foundations?
What would it look like to dig deeper in obedience rather than aim for visibility?
Am I more focused on constructing something impressive or something enduring?
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