A Wise Woman Builds Her House

Proverbs 14:1 says, "Every wise woman buildeth her house: 

but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."

That scripture has taken on new life for me because we are currently in the process of building a house.

It's exciting, yes. But oh my golly, it is exhausting! All the details like what type of windows, what color doorknobs, what kind of faucets, paint colors, tile, carpet, counter tops.... my brain has exploded again and again.

But I keep going back to that verse.

"Every wise woman buildeth her house..."

Now I am trying to be wise in this whole house-building thing. I want quality that will last, but I also don't want to overspend on things that do not matter. In every decision I am thinking ahead. I am thinking of my current children, of possible future children, of holidays and birthday celebrations, of entertaining, of growing old with my husband here. I am trying to make the most out of every space and considering the needs of my family. It's hard work. And it takes wisdom to make long-term decisions.

So we are trying to be wise in building our house. But the verse in Proverbs isn't really talking about a literal house. And that's why I have been meditating on it. It's talking about our home, our children, our family.

Now this is where I get a little nervous. I mean, that's a big verse. A wise woman builds up her family and a foolish woman tears it down. How could I possibly tear down my family?? Let's take a look.

• I can tear down my husband by not being a safe haven for his heart. (Proverbs 31:11)
• I can tear down my children by yelling, getting too exasperated, and/or provoking them to anger. (Colossians 3:21, Proverbs 15:1) 
• I can tear down the peace of my home by harboring an attitude that does not glorify God. (Ephesians 5:9-10)
• I can tear down my children's trust in me by being more preoccupied with my cell phone or laptop than in listening to their hearts. (Proverbs 31:27)
• I can tear down the sacredness of my marriage by blabbing of private issues to friends or family. (Proverbs 12:4)
• I can tear down the innocence of my children by not being watchful to outside influences. (Isaiah 21:6)
• I can tear down the priority of my home by belittling my work in serving my husband, keeping my home, and leading little hearts to Jesus. (Proverbs 22:6, 1 Peter 3:1-2)

There are lots of ways I can pluck my 

home down with my own two hands. 

What are ways I can build it up?

• I can build up my husband by following him, praying for him, loving him, helping him, and being a wife that he can trust and praise. (Proverbs 31:12)
• I can build up my children by encouraging them and by exercising self-control when their sinful nature refuses to obey. (Ephesians 6:4, Colossians 4:6)
• I can build up the peace of my home by opening my heart and working with my hands to make it a sanctuary. (Proverbs 31:20)
• I can build up my children's trust in me by being a listening ear, a mouthpiece of wisdom, and a safe place for their hearts to turn. (Proverbs 31:26, 28)
• I can build up my marriage by not defrauding my husband, by making my man a priority, and by keeping the sacred sacred. (1 Corinthians 7:3-5, Proverbs 31:12)
• I can build up and preserve the innocence of my children by safeguarding and being diligent to protect my home from the enemy. At any cost. (Song of Solomon 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:22)
• I can build up my home, my marriage, and my children by obeying God's Word and living it out. (Titus 2:3-5)

The doors and windows that were just recently put in our home are reminders of the things I must protect my family from. All the little details of building a home serve to make me think about all the little things that make for big things in raising a family. The foundation that was laid in the beginning of this whole process reminds me that everything we do must be built on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ.

Psalm 127:1

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Let us build up our houses, ladies.