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 6:49
“We were the Mulvaneys of High Point Farm, storybook people in a storybook house. We were once the perfect dream,” is an excerpted narration from the youngest son, Judd Mulvaney. Before becoming a 2002 television film, it was the creation of author Joyce Carol Oates that achieved widespread popularity after being chosen for Oprah’s Book Club in 2001. It told a fictional story about an idyllic family, the Mulvaneys: husband and wife, Michael Sr. and Corinne, and their four children: Mike Jr., Patrick, Marianne, and Judd.
Watching We Were The Mulvaneys had me ponder the phrase “glass houses” when used to describe what isn’t sturdy, and how the very things that appear unbreakable are oftentimes fragile. The image of an old fairy tale—The Three Little Pigs, when the Big Bad Wolf forcefully huffs, puffs, and blows down the straw house—came to mind. It also brought to mind Jesus’ teachings about faith, when He used an analogy of houses and foundations that cannot withstand trials.
“Grass isn’t always greener on the other side” is another thought the movie ignited, causing me to recognize how unreliable envy is, as the desired object is oftentimes a facade, such as glass houses. This only emphasizes the importance of appreciating your own green grass.