Built on sand

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IN all our lives there are the special moments of clarity, encounters that give meaning to our lives.

Rabbi Harold Kushner said he learned something valuable watching two children building an elaborate sand castle on the beach.

Just when they had their project almost finished, a big wave came along and knocked it down, reducing it to a heap of wet sand.

“I expected the children to burst into tears, devastated by what had happened to all their hard work,” said Kushner.

“However, they surprised me. Instead, they ran up the shore away from the water, laughing and holding hands, and sat down to build another castle.

“I realised that they had taught me an important lesson. All the things in our lives, all the complicated structures we spend so much time and energy creating, are built on sand.”

Kushner said only our relationships to other people endured. Eventually, the wave would come along and knock down what we have worked so hard to build up. When that happened, only the person who had somebody’s hand to hold would be able to laugh.

31 thoughts on “Built on sand”

  1. “Kushner said only our relationships to other people endured.”
    …only until the grave-wave.
    Can there really be an Intelligent Designer that created and controls waves?
    …or do waves, too, have Free Will?

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    • Brother Branham said the only thing people leave this earth with are their character and reputation.
      Dam words – all so very undefinable!

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  2. Didn’t Jesus say something similar about the relationship between Himself and those who claim to be Christians? House built on the rock versus house built on the sand.

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    • “Certain people give off positive energy, others negative. It’s the quality of someone’s being, a measure of love with which they’ve led their lives. It also reflects the inner work they’ve done, their efforts to heal anger, hatred, or self-loathing, which poison us like toxic fumes. Energetically these linger, precluding joy from shining through.

      SIGNS OF NEGATIVE ENERGY IN PEOPLE

      + You experience a sense of being demeaned, constricted, or attacked

      + You intuitively feel unsafe, tense, or on guard.

      + You sense prickly, off-putting vibes. You can’t wait to get away from them.

      + Your energy starts to fizzle. You may feel beleaguered or ill.”

      Belief Net

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    • Hi Rebecca,

      Apologies, but I do not have my own blog. My name was highlighted automatically when I first commented on Bryan’s blog and I do not know how to rectify it.

      If it’s about my post above, those are not my words, they belong to Judith Orloff, M.D. here:

      http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/2005/10/Signs-Of-Positive-And-Negative-Energy.aspx

      I am not New Age, but I am very sensitive (like a sponge) and am affected by the spirits over people.

      I cannot stand davinci. It is my opinion that he relishes in causing strife; that he is a troll whom I should just simply ignore.

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      • I cannot stand davinci. It is my opinion that he relishes in causing strife; that he is a troll whom I should just simply ignore.
        And what sort of energy do you think you give off with that sort of comment Monica? Especially when your reply is not Biblically supported to begin with. At least mine was based on Mat. 7:24-27.
        Which Bible verse was yours based on? You don’t know?
        Let me tell you which Bible verse condemns your new age take on vibes and auras:

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      • “And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” 1 Kings 18:17.

        It is understood that the reason why Ahab accused Elijah of troubling Israel, is that Ahab had so far removed himself from God that God’s representative was now seen as:
        – A troll
        – A troublemaker who relishes in causing strife.

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      • Both Ahab and the Pharisees (of Jesus’ day) felt that Elijah and Jesus:
        + Experience a sense of being demeaned, constricted, or attacked

        + Made them intuitively feel unsafe, tense, or on guard.

        + Made them sense prickly, off-putting vibes. They couldn’t wait to get away from Jesus and Elijah.

        + Made their energy starts to fizzle. Made them feel beleaguered or or on guard.
        Get the feeling that Judith Orloff’s theory is not built on the the foundation of the apostles and Jesus Christ but rather on a foundation of sand?

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      • OOps! Correction
        Statement should read:
        Both Ahab and the Pharisees (of Jesus’ day) felt that Elijah and Jesus:
        + Made them experience a sense of being demeaned, constricted, or attacked

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      • Monica,
        How can you talk about spirits over people and not know what your own Bible actually teaches?
        “To the law and to the testimony, for if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them” Isa. 8:20.

        Now please enlighten this audience how Judith Orloff’s theory stands true with respect to the Biblical prophets and Christian martyrs throughout the ages, who exhibited the same traits that she condemned.
        You should be governed by the clear testimony of the Bible not your feelings, impressions and spirits.

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      • “You should be governed by the clear testimony of the Bible not your feelings, impressions and spirits.”

        Agreed, but the “Joy of the Lord is my strength” and joy is a feeling, is it not?

        Judith Orloff M.D. is New Age—any professing Christian can see that, but it doesn’t mean that her insight cannot share some truths contained in God’s supernatural giftings such as the Healing Gifts and ‘Word of Knowledge’ in particular—-and from the little I have read of her teachings, it appears to do just that. The difference is of course, is that our giftings should be sanctified and we affirm that all praise and honour belongs to our God (and certainly not to us), who gives us every good gift and every perfect gift. These gifts are from above and come down from the Father of lights. We affirm that we are not gods; that there is only One True God and we are His creation.

        You liken yourself to Elijah and Jesus. I love Elijah and Jesus. They bring light and freedom with their words but you on the contrary just bring condemnation. There is a huge difference.

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      • Definitely said with affection Q,

        especially as my husband reminds me from time to time that I have ducks disease. I didn’t know what he was talking about at first until he explained that it describes someone who is short in stature—cheeky tall streak that he is!

        xxoo to you too. 🙂

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      • Hey Monica,
        Have you not read the scriptures that reveal that Satan can transform himself to appear as an angel of light? You have? Then please don’t quote New Age. As Christians we do not have anything to do with the New Agers. I remember a quote by Billy Graham that ““The cross is offensive, because it directly confronts the evils that dominate so much of this world.” How does this statement equate with Orloff’s statements you have quoted. If Jesus and Billy Graham would b here today they would condemn you as a phony.

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      • Vlad, you describe others as “phony” yet you seem to know little about the love that Jesus and Billy Graham proclaimed as truth. I suggest you read Paul’s definition of love..and then look in the mirror. You are the sort of cold, self-righteous unthinking religious fundamentalists that Jesus often criticised and condemned. If you claim to be a Christian you need to know that you are missing the point.

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      • “If Jesus and Billy Graham would be here today they would condemn you as a phony.”

        Oh boy, amazing word of knowledge coming from you davinci, especially when in front of a large church gathering, Jesus (through prophetic utterance from none other than the pastor of the church himself) proclaimed to all, that He (Jesus) was the One I loved! And here you are telling everyone I am a phony.

        Good one davinci. You actually made me laugh—there’s hope for me yet. 🙂

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  7. A quote from Margaret Fell.

    And so he went on, and said, “That Christ was the Light of the world, and lighteth every man that cometh into the world; and that by this light they might be gathered to God,” &c. I stood up in my pew, and wondered at his doctrine, for I had never heard such before. And then he went on, and opened the scriptures, and said, “The scriptures were the prophets’ words, and Christ’s and the apostles’ words, and what, as they spoke, they enjoyed and possessed, and had it from the Lord”: and said, “Then what had any to do with the scriptures, but as they came to the Spirit that gave them forth? You will say, ‘Christ saith this, and the apostles say this;’ but what canst thou say? Art thou a child of the Light, and hast thou walked in the Light, and what thou speakest, is it inwardly from God?” &c. This opened me so, that it cut me to the heart; and then I saw clearly we were all wrong. So I sat down in my pew again, and cried bitterly: and I cried in my spirit to the Lord, “We are all thieves; we are all thieves; we have taken the scriptures in words, and know nothing of them in ourselves.”

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  8. The self-appointed defenders of the faith and accusers of the brethren like to emphasize truth at the expense of love. This, of course, produces a cold, hard, legalistic fundamentalism which, though it holds to the right creed, is empty of genuine Christian life.

    “Around the turn of the 20th Century there was a necessary movement within the Church to stand for and defend the faith given to us from the Scripture. This resulted in what we know as fundamentalism. This term refers to those who believe in the fundamentals of sound doctrine of the Christian faith. However, in recent decades it has come to represent those who are hard, unloving, judgmental and high minded. It is sad that what began as a necessary stand against the tidal wave of theological liberalism and existentialism, slowly became a call sign for such an ugly representation of the Christian faith.

    Anytime the power and presence of the Holy Spirit is removed from the practice of sound doctrine, death by legalism will occur. What can be God at inception can within one generation become the work of man, and by the second generation become a tool for Satan. This progression is a result of men abandoning intimacy with Christ through brokenness, humility and prayer.

    Just like the Pharisees, which Jesus warned His disciples about, we should beware of the modern Pharisees. They desire to bring men into their legalistic bondage with religious warnings and spiritual sounding threats.

    Truth defended at the expense of Love — Legalists care very little about the Love of God. They consider such talk as weak or compromising. They fail to obey the very book they claim to defend. “He that loveth not, knoweth not God.” (1Jn.4:8) “Speaking the truth in love.” (Eph.4:15) “Without love you are a sounding brass and tinkling symbol.” (1Cor.13:1)

    Judgmental — Legalists express a constant disposition to critique and condemn others quickly and harshly. They are slow to listen, slow to question and quick to speak.

    Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. These modern day and self appointed ‘defenders’ are nothing more than a revival of legalists. They have failed to understand the gospel, want to control others with their ignorance, and have a carnal need for control.

    Find a church where God’s Word is taught without apology or compromise by men who are broken vessels. Men who understand the absolute need of being in tune with and constantly filled afresh with the Holy Spirit.”

    Extract from Leaven of the Pharisees — Pastor Terry Ivy

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  9. Please don’t condemn Davinci because he worships the Bible rather than God. He could do far worse. Take his beliefs away and he would do far worse. Bible idolatory might be his salvation.

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