A couple of buildings constructed on sand dunes in the coastal city of Viña del Mar, Chile, have made headlines. The images are striking due to two large sinkholes formed by the shifting sands right next to these imposing structures. One of the causes was torrential rainfall that occurred during those days, and obviously, building on sand dunes might not have been the best idea.

For many years, there has been a legal battle between those trying to protect these dunes as a natural sanctuary and the real estate companies that own the land. Furthermore, the regulatory chaos in the country has contributed to this unfortunate event.

For those who are familiar with the Bible, it’s impossible not to recall the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:

²⁴ “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. ²⁵ The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”

It seems incredible that such an obvious principle as not building on sand was overlooked in the case of these buildings in Chile. One can’t help but wonder, where were the engineers, architects, and authorities? Were economic interests more important than common sense? Perhaps advancements in engineering gave them the confidence to proceed.

In the story from Matthew, Jesus is telling the crowds who are listening, and all of us today, that by hearing and practicing His teachings, we will be like that wise man.

The meaning of prudence, according to the dictionary, is to avoid bold actions, prevent risks, and handle things conservatively to avoid mistakes. Prudence comes from the verb “to provide,” which means to see from afar or foresee.

So, no matter what you are building, you need a solid foundation, because the rain will pour, the rivers will rise torrentially, the winds will relentlessly blow, and whatever you have constructed will inevitably be tested.

What are you building? A family? A professional career? A business? Whatever it may be, you will face the storm. The Lord makes it clear that we will all confront this powerful adversity and pressure.

The difference between a disastrous outcome and a happy ending will be your foundation, and I hope it is the rock.

It’s sad for those who hear the words of Jesus with indifference, little interest, or disbelief, building their lives on sand, thinking there are no consequences. The rain catches them off guard, floods come, and the winds batter their construction until it collapses. Their failure becomes a public, painful, and shameful event.

Whether you are just starting to build your life or have an advanced structure, it’s always time to change your foundation to the Rock. Even if you find yourself in the club of the fallen, you have a fresh opportunity to start anew, wisely and intelligently, building on the rock.

JESUS is the ROCK.

Psalm 62: 

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,