Come, Hear, Act.

"I will," says Jesus, "show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them" (Luke 6:47).

Whenever Jesus speaks this plainly I tend to sit on the edge of my seat, waiting for what will come next. If a person wants to become the kind of person who comes to Jesus, hears his word, and acts on them, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn exactly what is required of them.

"That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock..." (Luke 6:48a).

The kind of person who comes to Jesus, hears his word, and acts upon them, will:

1. They have a vision of what they are working towards. This vision comes from hearing the word of God. This is why it is important to constantly place oneself in a context where the word of God is being proclaimed and taught. For in hearing God speak, one will inevitably hear what God says about them. What they hear will strike them as being far from their current reality, and they will plan on building towards God's reality.

2. In their building they will keep digging until they find solid ground. What can this mean other than this person ponders what was heard for a long time. This isn't just an "I read that already" kind of person, but it is someone who is mining for hidden treasure. Someone who understands that they will not be able to arrive at the vision in step 1, until they are standing firmly on the solid ground that makes step 1 possible. This person will very likely discover things about who they are in the digging process. They will discover previous foundations that they once thought were solid, but now have been revealed as porous. This is the value of the digging process.

3. When they reach the rock of what was heard, they make it their foundation. This is a place where faith joins with actions. It is a solid place, a place of confidence. Such a person has heard the word of God, dug deep to get to the bottom of that word, found none other than the speaker of that word at the base, and confidently began building upwards. Their life is, quite literally, supported by the Word of God.

Such a process doesn't have to take a long time, but I think one must go through this process if one is to add faith to their hearing. And in doing so they will become one who can withstand all that life brings their way.

Conversely, there is also a person who "hears and does not act." Here is what they do:

1. They have a vision of what they are working towards. Perhaps they were in the same context as the man above. Both heard the word spoken, and received a vision.

2. They begin building upon what they heard. This unfortunate individual has not plumbed the depths of the word they heard. They think that they build towards the vision in step 1 without the hard work of discovery the source of the vision. This also means that they have a mistaken confidence in themselves. Thinking they are the kind of person who can realize the vision they receive upon hearing the word, they do so without being supported by the word.

This person is quickly destroyed when life happens.

Interestingly enough, both came, both heard, and both acted. This difference is what they were acting on. Whenever a person acts upon the ground of self, destruction always, always! follows. But when a person acts upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ they will discover that they have an unshakeable life, "because it had been well built" on a unshakeable God.