We all remember the story of the Three Little Pigs from our childhood. It was just a story to us when our Mamas read it to us as small children. But, as we know now, the story held a very important lesson for, not only children, but for us throughout life.
These three little pigs and their attempts at building a house provide a look into mistakes we might make as we build our lives.
To refresh, in case it has been a few decades since you heard the story ---- The first little pig built his house out of straw. There was no structure to it. There was nothing to hold it together. And when the wolf came, he easily blew the straw house down, leaving the poor little pig defenseless against the danger the wolf represented.
The second little pig, probably noted the fate of his brother, and decided he would be smarter in building his house. So, he gathered all the sticks he could find, and began to build his house of sticks. Alas, his house suffered the same fate as his brothers. There was no structure in his construction, and the wolf also came to his house and with one powerful huff and puff, completely blew the house of sticks into a pile of splinters.
I can imagine that the third little pig had observed his brothers as they built their houses and watched as the wolf successfully destroyed their work, which lacked planning and forethought. So, he decided to build his house from bricks and mortar. His house had structure and form, which was the result of his wise planning. I like to believe that the wolf didn’t eat the first two pigs. He only destroyed their inadequate houses. So, when the third little pig’s house was completed, he invited his brothers to come live in the house he knew to be safe from the wolf. (I think he was practicing discipleship). And, sure enough, when the wolf came, and huffed and puffed, the brick and mortar house stood firm.
People today, unfortunately proceed with your lives in much the same way as the pigs went about building their houses.
First, we sometimes have problems with our foundations. We are God’s building. The strength of the building depends upon the foundation. Look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:10 – “According to the grace of God which was given to me like a wise master builder, I laid a foundation and another is building on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than that which is laid.”
As Christians our foundation is in Jesus Christ. Our foundation is the fundamental doctrines of the Bible which we must plant into our hearts and minds. But this doesn’t happen in one fell swoop. Laying the foundation takes time and effort to learn the Word and begin to live it.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:24-28 -- “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
If our lives are going to be a solid dwelling place for the kingdom of God to live we must have Jesus as the Lord of our lives.
Another mistake the pigs make, and that people today make is that they use the wrong materials. The strength of the materials determines the strength of the structure. A building built with quality materials will withstand the huffs and puffs of the storms and trials of life. We must make quality lifestyle choices – those which God provides for us in His Word in order for our lives to withstand those difficult times.
A third mistake the pigs and people today make is the lack of effort we are willing to put into assuring that our building is solid – that our life in on the solid rock of Jesus Christ.
We live in a super-fast-paced world. We want everything, and we want it now! We don’t want to wait for it. So, we settle for what we can grab immediately. And that, of course, leads to accepting less that we really want.
So when it comes to our relationship with God and His Son we try to get along with less than He has in store for us, and wants us to have. We want it now, without effort, without trials. But God doesn’t work that way.
Look at John 16:33 – “In the world you are going to have trials and tribulations, but be of good cheer because I have overcome the world and I have deprived it of its power to overcome you. “ We will have trials, but God says He has overcome the world and those trials have no power over us when we are in Him.
And, then there is the wolf. The scripture actually warns us about wolves. In Acts 20:29. We Jesus say, “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” He was warning us, of course, that Satan will come against the church. His aim is to destroy the church which Jesus built. When he comes against us and the church we must stand strong. The church was built by Jesus – it is His – and He built it with quality materials -His own blood.
We must be alert, ready to stand firm against the schemes and lies of Satan. We must place our faith and our trust – not in material things – but in the power of God. Have faith in Him. Don’t pull out of the race when trials come. Remember, God is running with us. He is on our side.
----- Gary K. Fair 11 August 2020
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