Over the past 7 years, General Mills® has given away children’s books inside specially marked boxes of Cheerios®. One of those booklets is titled, “Everybody Needs a Rock.”

The book’s hollow premise is that all children should carefully choose a rock to carry around with them as a source of friendship and meaning.

They explain: “This story shows us that joy is abundant in the quiet and beauty of nature.” Every person does need a rock—a solid foundation upon which to build a life.  But…

that base is not a literal rock or a deeper appreciation of nature.  In fact the Bible warns against worshiping and serving created things rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25).

The rock we really need is God Himself.

The Psalmist wrote, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand” (Psalm 40:1-2).

The rock upon which we are to build our lives is living.  Why put your confidence in an inanimate, unresponsive stone when the living, eternal Creator offers to assist you?  He is able to wait, turn, hear, and lift us up.

This rock is capable of saving.

“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire.”  Only God loved you enough to die in your place so that you could be lifted out of the foul sewer of this sinful world.

In the story, “Everybody Needs a Rock” the children are advised to “keep your rock for as long as you can—maybe forever.”  When we make the Lord the rock of our salvation He keeps us forever.  What a positive difference!

This rock is dependable.

“He gave me a firm place to stand.”  We can know assuredly who we are—not an evolutionary accident but a divine creation.  We can know where we are going—not to extinction in the ground but to eternal life in heaven.  We can be confident of why we exist—not to be self-indulgent but to glorify God and influence others.

This rock brings joy.

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God” (verse 3).  “May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, ‘The LORD be exalted!’” (verse 16).  Abundant joy is not found by putting a pebble in your pocket but by inviting Jesus to abide in your heart every day.

This rock is true.

“Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods” (verse 4).  How imprudent to encourage children to focus on a powerless stone!   How much wiser it would be to teach, “On Christ, the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.”

This rock is filled with wonder.

“Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done.  The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare” (verse 5).  A lifeless stone doesn’t have much of a resume but God’s impressive accomplishments are too numerous to list!

This rock needs to be shared.

In the children’s story, “Everybody Needs a Rock” the author writes, “If somebody says, ‘What’s so special about that rock?’ don’t even tell them.  I don’t.  Nobody is supposed to know what’s special about another person’s rock.”

Just the opposite is true for those who discover the solid rock of Jesus Christ.  The Psalmist wrote, “I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.  I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.  I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly” (verses 9-10).

General Mills® is to be commended for its effort to encourage children from poverty-stricken homes to read.

But the sad truth is that if someone provided a book of spiritual substance to be distributed to children it would meet certain rejection.  Such is the nature of our fallen world.  But those who put their trust in Jesus Christ always meet certain acceptance.

Such is the nature of our faithful God.

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Bob Russell retired from his position as the senior minister of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky where he served for 40 years. During his tenure, Southeast grew to become one of the ten largest churches in America. Russell is nationally known and respected for his clear, biblical preaching. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including When God Builds a Church and When God Answers Prayer.

Sermons from Bob Russell’s preaching archives are broadcast every week on the SermonCast Channel.