Deep Vs. Shallow

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. Luke 6:47-49 (KJV) emphasis mine

In Jesus’ time, the way to build a sturdy house required digging deep to reach rock that was beneath the surface. Once a good layer of rock was reached, they built upon the rock that was under the soil to lay the foundation. Such digging could be very labor-intensive, with solid rock being very, very deep below the surface.

Jesus said that when we hear the Word and actually do it, we are like someone who digs deep to build a sturdy house with a rock-solid foundation. Hearing and doing the Word involves work. It is not for the shallow believer who does just enough to get by. And when a believer does barely enough, they are easily shaken and drawn away from the faith. They are like a house that is easily destroyed by the waves and floods of a storm. They give up at the first sign of trouble. Jesus also pointed this out in the parable of the sower.

And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away…. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.Mark 4:5-6, 16-17 (KJV)

Jesus mentions that some people receive the Word and are born again, but they do not establish sufficient roots in the Word. They do not go deep enough to become rooted and grounded in the faith. When difficulties arise, they don’t stick it out with God. They don’t have enough foundation in the Word to stand during troubles.

There is a reason we named this website, A Deeper Word. We are convinced, and Scripture bears this out, that the only way to stay with God for the long haul is to establish a deep root system in the Word of God. We must dig deep and set up a solid foundation on which to build our lives. If we don’t, the winds and waves of adversity will knock us over and knock us out. Determine in your heart that you will not be a shallow Christian, but you will dig deep to set yourself firmly on God’s Word by learning it and acting upon it.