Jimbo's Jots

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” – Declaration of Independence, signed July 4, 1776

A foundation is vital in every day life. The very home we live in crumbles with a poor foundation. Many people who live on a coast, whether lake, river or ocean, have had their homes taken away due to an eroding foundation. We even sing a VBS song, The Wise Man. When the rains came, the winds blew, his house stood. The foolish man built his house on sand – when the rains came and floods rose, his house went SMASH!!

The opening quote from the Declaration of Independence was a statement of establishing a foundational truth that all who came here in the 1600-1700s held to be true. There are some basic principles that we hold onto.

In the teen Bible class I am teaching, we’re looking at another foundational statement, The Apostles Creed. Having said that, our church heritage has not held too tightly to creedal statements. But we cannot argue with the statements in the Apostle’s Creed as to foundational truth to our faith.

We like having a solid footing. If we’re talking about our house, our nation, our very own faith or even our self, we are searching for some form of foundation. Some of these areas crossover into each other. Many who carry a deep, foundational faith, know with confidence it affects how we see ourselves and how we will function as a household.

What I have found in doing counseling services is that what we believe to be true has a bearing on how we feel about a situation and eventually our actions will reflect that belief and feeling, which is why having a solid foundation in our life is so vital to us. If we have a strong faith in God, our feelings and actions will be seen by others. If we have a strong belief in self, our feelings and actions will be seen as well.

What truths do you hold to be self-evident? What do you know to be true? Whatever those truths are, others will be witnesses. Is your house built on a solid rock or on shifting sand? Will you stand firm when the storms of life come or crumble with the winds of chaos?

Be blessed! Be a blessings to others along the way!