Foundations That Withstand Earthquakes
Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
Jeremiah 17:5–10 · Psalm 1 · Luke 16:19–31
An ancient Jew named Jeremiah speaks about two kinds of lives.
One trusts only in human strength. The other trusts in God.
The first is like a dry bush in the desert. The second is like a tree planted by water.
Today, we might use different images.
The first is like a skyscraper project abandoned halfway because the company went bankrupt — impressive at first, but unfinished and empty. The second is like a building with deep foundations that can survive earthquakes.
Jewish poets said the same thing.
One life has roots. The other has none — it is like chaff, light, scattered, blown away by the wind.
This is not about self-confidence. It is about where you anchor your life.
Do you rely only on your own success, comfort, and control? What if life removes it all one day? Or do you root yourself in something deeper — something bigger than you, bigger than the entire universe?
Jesus tells a story.
A rich man lives in luxury. Fine clothes. Fine food. Every day.
At his gate lies a poor man named Lazarus. Sick. Hungry. Ignored.
The rich man is not described as cruel. He is simply comfortable.
And he does not see.
That is the tragedy.
After death, everything changes.
The poor man rests. The rich man thirsts.
Now he sees clearly. But it is too late.
This story is not mainly about geography after death. It is about vision now.
Comfort can blind. Success can isolate. Noise can distract.
We scroll past suffering. We step over need. We grow used to inequality.
Because the story is rooted in Jewish tradition, the rich man had Scripture. If he had lived in China, he might have had the teachings of Confucius.
But he did not let those teachings shape him.
If he had listened, he would have heard:
Open your hand to the poor. Share your bread with the hungry.
To know the Bible is not about collecting religious facts.
It is about training your sight.
Scripture teaches you what to notice. It keeps your heart soft. It reminds you that life is more than comfort.
Without that formation, it is easy to drift into self-centered living without even realizing it.
The tree planted by water does not survive by accident. It has roots.
A life without roots dries out.
A life shaped by God’s word bears fruit.
The question is simple:
What is shaping your vision? What is forming your heart?
Because what you listen to will decide what you become.
So pick up your Bible. Begin with the Gospels, which tell the story of Jesus.
That story will reshape you, open your eyes to the cry of those in need, and teach you how to stand when the earthquakes of life come.
Scripture Attribution
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Content License
© 2025 Krakus.
Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial).