I. Introduction
We learned them as children. They are forever burned into our memory. However, just because we learned them doesn't mean we learned from them. Today in honor of our graduates I want to examine a fairytale that isn't quite as well known.
Once upon a time there was an old mother pig who had three little pigs and not enough food to feed them. So when they were old enough, she sent them out into the world to seek their fortunes. Before they left, their mother told them " Whatever you do , do it the best that you can because that's the way to get along in the world.
The first little pig was very lazy. He didn't want to work at all and he built his house out of straw. The second little pig worked a little bit harder but he was somewhat lazy too and he built his house out of sticks. Then, they sang and danced and played together the rest of the day.The third little pig worked hard all day and built his house with bricks. It was a sturdy house complete with a fine fireplace and chimney. It looked like it could withstand the strongest winds.The next day, a wolf happened to pass by the lane where the three little pigs lived; and he saw the straw house, and he smelled the pig inside. He thought the pig would make a mighty fine meal and his mouth began to water. So he knocked on the door and said: Little pig! Little pig! Let me in! Let me in! But the little pig saw the wolf's big paws through the keyhole, so he answered back: No! No! No! Not by the hairs on my chinny chin chin! Then the wolf showed his teeth and said: Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down. So he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house down! The wolf opened his jaws very wide and bit down as hard as he could, but the first little pig escaped and ran away to hide with the second little pig. The wolf continued down the lane and he passed by the second house made of sticks; and he saw the house, and he smelled the pigs inside, and his mouth began to water as he thought about the fine dinner they would make. So he knocked on the door and said: Little pigs! Little pigs! Let me in! Let me in! But the little pigs saw the wolf's pointy ears through the keyhole, so they answered back: No! No! No! Not by the hairs on our chinny chin chin! So the wolf showed his teeth and said: Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down! So he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house down! The wolf was greedy and he tried to catch both pigs at once, but he was too greedy and got neither! His big jaws clamped down on nothing but air and the two little pigs scrambled away as fast as their little hooves would carry them. The wolf chased them down the lane and he almost caught them. But they made it to the brick house and slammed the door closed before the wolf could catch them. The three little pigs they were very frightened, they knew the wolf wanted to eat them. The wolf knocked on the door and said: Little pigs! Little pigs! Let me in! Let me in! But the little pigs saw the wolf's narrow eyes through the keyhole, so they answered back: No! No! No! Not by the hairs on our chinny chin chin! So the wolf showed his teeth and said: Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down. Well! he huffed and he puffed. He puffed and he huffed. And he huffed, huffed, and he puffed, puffed; but he could not blow the house down. At last, he was so out of breath that he couldn't huff and he couldn't puff anymore. So he stopped to rest and thought a bit. But this was too much. The wolf danced about with rage and swore he would come down the chimney and eat up the little pig for his supper. But while he was climbing on to the roof the little pig made up a blazing fire and put on a big pot full of water to boil. Then, just as the wolf was coming down the chimney, the little piggy pulled off the lid, and plop! in fell the wolf into the scalding water. So the little piggy put on the cover again, boiled the wolf up, and the three little pigs ate him for supper.
Familiar fairy tale. Jesus told a very similar fairy tale too (minus the pigs)!
Text: Matthew 7:24-27 (TLB)
“All who listen to my instructions and follow them are wise, like a man who builds his house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents, and the floods rise and the storm winds beat against his house, it won’t collapse, for it is built on rock. “But those who hear my instructions and ignore them are foolish, like a man who builds his house on sand. For when the rains and floods come, and storm winds beat against his house, it will fall with a mighty crash.”
Powerful tales that teach us powerful lessons.
The wolf will show up.
You can call him a wolf or you can call him wind but the truth is he will show up! I want you to notice that in the fairytale all 3 pigs encountered the wolf. No pig was exempt. In the parable both houses encountered the same wind, flood and storm. Jesus warned us in John 16:33 that trouble would come. None of us are exempt. None of us get a free pass. We will all experience attacks. However, too many of us act surprised when these things happen and then the flip side is we are unprepared when the wolf/storm arrives.
I have said countless time that you can trust God's track record. But can I tell you this morning that God isn't the only one with a track record. The wolf has one too. He will show up. He will try to kill, steal, and destroy. We are naive if we think we are immune. We are silly if we think we are special. We are nuts if we think we are exempt. Live long enough and he will show up. Let enough time go by and regardless of how blessed you are in this season the wind, rain and storms will arrive at some point in the future. Sickness will knock on your door. The bill will come due. The seed you sowed will produce harvest. There is a valley that will have to be travelled even though you may be on the mountain at this moment.
It is important for us to know that just because the wolf isn't at the door today doesn't mean he won't show up tomorrow. It is also important to understand that just because he couldn't gain access today doesn't mean he won't try again tomorrow. He may have tried the door today. He may have huffed and puffed today. But you best be ready because he will try the chimney tomorrow. That is why Paul said in 2 Corinthians 2 "so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs."
You can't let your guard today just because you turned him away yesterday. He will try to find a new way!
This is an important lesson to learn because it will help us take thought about how we prepare and how we build.
How we build determines whether we become a buffet or we are able to buffet the enemy.
I want you to notice that both tales start the same. In the 3 Little Pigs the mom shares wisdom and encourages the pigs to obey. "Whatever you do, do it the best that you can because that's the way to get along in the world." Build strong. Build wise.
In the parable Jesus says, "Here are my instructions a wise man will obey!"
So, in essence, what determines whether or not we become a buffet for the enemy or whether we defend and win against wind is completely decided by our willingness to obey/submit/follow the instructions and the wisdom we have been given!
Here is the truth we have failed to learn . . . the wolf/the wind does have power. However, that power is limited by our wisdom in building. The impact/damage the wolf or wind can do is solely determined by whether or not I listened to and obeyed the One who has wisdom.
It was the same wolf at all three locations with the same power the only difference in the outcome was the way the house was built
The same is true for us. Here is the difference. We all have/heard/read the same wisdom but one little passion person put it their notes while one little passion person puts in into practice. The one with good notes falls. The one who puts into practice survives.
Here is where it gets real. It comes down to whether I’m willing to submit to how Jesus says I should build my house versus how I think I should build. If I like my opinion or preference more than His, then when the storms come I will fall because it is straw. If I would rather have my way I can. But it will not stand up to wind. Submission means security.
So, I can value and live by my thoughts and conclusions on life, relationships, sex, money, entertainment, recreation, hard work, food, attitude and any other area of life and when the wolf arrives there will be devastation and destruction. Fallout. Or, even if I don't like it, I can submit to what the One with wisdom says is right and holy and my house will stand the test of time! Strength is there for the taking. Learn what He says about our life. He addresses every area of life and gives us wisdom to build on!
The stability of our walls comes down to how we handle relationships and resources.
You can have strong walls in one area and still be vulnerable to the Wolf in the other. Determined by whether or not you think your way is better than momma pigs or Jesus'.
Hear me this morning . . . He will huff and puff. It is inevitable. We all feel the same wind and experience the same power. Will your house stand? Will your life endure? It all comes down to whether or not you are willing to live His way! Every other way is straw and sticks. His way is a firm foundation.
