By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

Paul laid a foundation as a wise builder. How does one gain wisdom in building for spiritual significance?

We know that all wisdom comes from God. And so to gain wisdom, we must gain a closer relationship with God. This relationship is based on obedience, respect, and love. When we gain the wisdom of God we can lay a wise foundation.

And that wise foundation is the foundation that Jesus laid. He actually is the foundation of the church. “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬-‭22‬)

The story of Abraham rescuing Lot from the fire and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah comes to mind in reading this passage. Lot had caved in following God and had taken on many of the practices of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. We know this by inference because he was one of the town council leaders. We also know this by the way he treated his daughters when the men outside were trying to engage in the rape of his guests.

My best guess is that Lot looked the other way as he was living in Sodom and Gomorrah. And over time the ways of the world crept in. His wife did not have a strong belief because she looked back after being told not to, and was turned into a pillar of salt.

Lot was a model of the poor builder Paul is talking about here. He built on top of the foundation Jesus laid; he added to it, subtracted from it, and didn’t follow him with his whole heart. And in the end, all the things he had built in this world were burned up and he barely escaped with this life.

What am I building in this life? What am I building for eternity? Am I building on a sure foundation?

Lord, you are the foundation of my life. Help me to not add or subtract to the foundation you’ve already laid of salvation, redemption, and repentance. It is also a foundation of love, grace, justice, and truth. May what I build stand the test of the fire.