Real or Fake? Building Your Life on a ‘Real’, Firm Foundation
Matthew 7:24–25 - “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
Have we lost our sense of who we are?
I can’t help but wonder if, somewhere along the way, we’ve traded our true identity for something far less certain.
On a recent road trip with my sister and parents, I overheard a conversation that made me pause. My mother had been watching a reel on Facebook and was sharing it with my sister. With a bit of humor, my sister responded, “You know that’s not real, right? It’s AI.”
At first, Mom pushed back a little, but then, slowly, she began to question it.
And that’s when it hit me.
We’re living in a time when we don’t always know what’s real anymore.
What story do we believe?
Which voice do we trust?
Is anyone telling the truth?
There was a time when I thought social media was one of the greatest tools we had.
During COVID, it helped us stay connected. As an educator, I could still reach my staff and students and churches could livestream services. Even when we couldn’t physically gather, we found ways to stay in community.
But now, I’m beginning to wonder…
Has something shifted?
What once felt like connection can now feel like confusion. What once felt helpful can now feel overwhelming. And if we’re not careful, it can slowly begin to shape how we see ourselves.
Comparison creeps in.
Doubt settles in. Life begins to crumble and shift.
And before we realize it, we begin to question our worth, our purpose… even our identity.
And here’s the truth:
If we don’t know who we are in Christ, the world will tell us who we are.
Which story do you believe?
Which voice is telling you the truth?
Who do you listen to?
Maybe the deeper question is this:
When the world is loud and confusing… how do you remember who you really are?
Both the world and God want our attention. And the world is loud, very loud.
Which is why we need something strong—something unshakable.
Jesus speaks directly to this in Matthew 7:24–25: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
Jesus was highlighting the importance of being steadfast in our faith demonstrating that nothing can separate us from His love and grace. Just as the house remains unshaken during the rain storm, we can feel secure in Christ when the ‘storms’ of life attempt to knock us down.
Our identity becomes something we stand firm on, something that we are certain of when the world is yelling and we don’t have to question because no storm is going to be able to shake us!
I recently read a story dated from September, 1814. It was an account of resilience about the Fort McHenry Storm Flag.
During a punishing 25 hour British bombardment, American defenders kept a massive 30 X 42 foot flag flying. As the storm settled, the flag continued to stand tall and fly. With the support of the men, it stood firm and was unshaken. Inspired by the sight of the flag, that morning Francis Scott Key wrote a poem about the battle called “The Defense of Fort McHenry.” Later set to music, the poem became “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which was officially named the National Anthem of the United States in 1931.
O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
As I reflect on that story, I can't help but think about the storms we face today. While they may not come in the form of cannon fire and bombardment, they are no less relentless. We live in a world filled with noise, distractions, opinions, and pressures all competing for our attention. Like the flag over Fort McHenry, we are constantly being tested by the winds around us.
The question is not whether storms will come. The question is what keeps us standing when they do.
The Fort McHenry flag remained because it was held up by strong supports and determined hands. As followers of Christ, our support is found in something even greater. We are anchored in the unchanging love and presence of God. While the world constantly demands our attention, when we are uncertain of what to believe, and the voices around us get louder and louder; God offers something entirely different. He extends a gentle invitation.
He wants to walk with you, guide you along a path that aligns with His purpose for your life—the one He knew before you were even born.
The world wants to shape you into whatever fits the latest trend or algorithm.
But God calls you to stand apart—to be a light in the darkness, a city on a hill.
‘Doomscrolling’ often leaves us with fear, anxiety, and the pressure to become just like everyone else. God's invitation leads us somewhere different.
Why not answer His invitation to sit awhile and visit with Him? Listen as He reminds you who you are. Share your thoughts, your fears, and your dreams. Then be still long enough to hear His voice speak truth over your life.
Linger in His presence. No rush. No comparison. No striving. No questioning what is real or fake.
Simply receive.
And like that flag still waving after the storm had passed, may your life stand as a testimony that God was faithful through it all.
