"And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand."
It's awfully easy to take matters into our own hands. When what we want isn't coming to us when we want it, we're tempted to jump in and make things happen. That, is building on sand.
We see it clearly with Abram and Sarai in the first reading. God's word is spoken and they listen to it but do not act on it. Instead, when their timeline isn't met, they take matters into their own hands and Sarai convinces Abram to have intercourse with her maidservant. "And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand."
All hell breaks loose in Abram's house. After Hagar runs away and then returns, she bears a son of whom the angel of the Lord says, "This one shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; In opposition to all his kin shall he encamp." I'm sure that is just what Hagar wanted to hear in her exodus. Just as she wanted to hear the angel tell her to return and submit humbly to Hagar's abusive treatment. Yet she hears the word of the Lord and acts upon it. Thus, she builds on stone.
Eventually Abram and Sarai would build on stone but not without more mistakes, more sandcastles. We are quick to judge others and some of us are quick to judge ourselves. Let the Lord be the judge. You, focus on not taking matters into your own hands and thus building on sand. Listen to the word of God and act on it. Build your life upon the Rock of Christ.
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