Jesus closed the Sermon on the Mount with his famous story of the two men who built their homes on different foundations. The wise man built his house upon the rock and the foolish man built his house upon the sand. The foolish man's home collapsed under the faulty foundation which would not stand the test of time and the elements of weather. The last words Jesus said in this famous sermon were in reference to the foolish man's house "...and great was its fall" Matthew 7:27. How tragic! Jesus, of course, is inviting men and women to build their lives upon the foundation of Himself. As the old hymn writer said, "that rock is Jesus." Jesus describes in the clearest of terms what happens in life. Eventually the sand foundations give way. But those founded on the rock, notwithstanding facing the same blows of the elements of life, survive and stand firm. Jesus Christ, what a firm foundation for life.

Graphically, in recent days that whole story has been played out around one neighborhood in Orlando, Florida. It came into focus yesterday as I put Ben on a plane for Florida, but that is getting a bit ahead of the story.

When our son Ben was growing up, we helped him develop his interest in golf. He was a part of two national Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) golf camps in Florida in high school. What a great experience for him. He met some neat guys. He got some great instruction. TPC Sawgrass and the World Golf Hall of Fame complex are two venues that are not bad as well. Every night they engaged in worship and heard from the Word of God. Along the way, he met some really neat guys and gals. This year he played for Cedarville University. The speaker at the banquet before the National Christian College Athletic Association National Tournament in Florida was a friend Ben made at camp. Corky invited Ben to a special retreat which he is involved in right now.

At another house in Orlando around the famous Isleworth Golf & Country Club is another household of another tour player. Unlike Tiger Woods, he does not garner $94,000,000 in endorsements per year. Although, 52nd on the career cumulative earnings list is not bad ($14,827,275). He has won eight times on the PGA Tour. Lee Janzen, two time U.S. Open Winner ('93 & '98), lives at home with his wife Beverly. He lives with his family in a neighborhood around Isleworth. From 1993 on, it has been a house founded upon the Rock. Lee came to place his faith in Jesus Christ, through his wife's encouragement and in part by watching the change in his buddy's life, Payne Stewart. Before Lee, Payne had begun to build his life upon the Rock!.

What is Lee Janzen doing these days? Well, how about welcoming an FCA college golf retreat at your house...all 50 of them! Yes, college golfers from all over the Southeast United States who are involved in an FCA golf outreach. Lee is hosting the retreat with his family and they are using their means to call other men to build their lives upon that rock. Our Ben is having the time of his life right now. They are scheduled to play Isleworth as I am writing. Ben out there teeing it up with a bunch of D-1 golfers from the SEC and more. As I was reflecting upon the tragic consequences of the choices Tiger Woods has made (bar none the greatest golfer up to his age in golf), I think of another home and another family facing the consequences of their choices. But rather than facing the collapse of the house, they are reaping the spoils of a life invested on the Rock, Jesus Christ. They are in turn investing in other lives.

I could not escape the irony of the two stories near the same neighborhood. One, a story of tragedy and collapse, the other a story of faith and life and hope and discipleship and joy. Maybe God will use this moment to call Tiger onto the Rock. That would be my hope. We are no where that the Rock cannot extract us from in redemption. He is the Lord who is a pardoning and redeeming God.

But oh the spoils of a life lived on the Rock! You don't make TMZ and are not nearly as much in the headlines. But the house founded upon the Rock stands firm...as a tribute to the stability that comes to lives founded on that firm foundation.

Yes, there is another story in Orlando around Isleworth this week. It is the story of a man of faith, Lee Janzen, pouring his life with others into young men who love golf. The press will not cover it. It will pass unnoticed, except by those men who will have their lives marked by three days of fun and laughter and camaraderie and golf and Bible Study and new beginnings. Who knows? Maybe several will come this very weekend to establish their lives upon the Rock. That is a part of its design.

Keep going Lee! Your investments are making a real difference in the realm that really matters. Thanks for sharing your wealth and the wealth that comes in knowing and trusting and living upon, Jesus Christ our Lord...the Rock!

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall." Jesus Christ, Matthew 7:24-27.