“Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.” Proverbs 14:1
It is so hard to believe that this time has flown by so fast! In fact, only fourteen years ago, we began building the first part of our home. We built a modest little cedar cabin on top of Huckleberry Hill. I still love how precious and quaint it is. Since I love the “country” décor, our home is full of baskets, hearts, quilts, linens, teacups, teapots…getting a picture? I have loved the cozyness of our home. Now, I am “adapting” to the changes and the growth that comes from expanding, growing, remodeling, and building!
Isn’t this what the Bible says we are to be about? Proverbs 14:1 says…
“Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.”
As much as I have to PURPOSE to continue to grow, change, remodel, and build, I still find myself preferring to keep things cozy–the same! Yet, the Bible seems to point towards BUILDING, especially if we want to be “wise.” With “building” this means that it is intentional and never-ending. Soak that in for a moment.
This house that we physically live in is never done. It is never finished. It is constantly in need of expansion, maintenance, remodeling, and continual growth. If we fail to keep on building, it won’t be long until our home begins to fall to pieces.
In the building of our spiritual home, our real legacy, we must constantly build… grow… expand… touch up… revise… or we will find our home in shambles in just a very short time!
Things just don’t stay the same way. There is constant need for “maintenance.” There is always something that needs work. At times, as hard as we try, there must be a “gutting” and rebuilding in the midst of the rubbish left behind!
Deciding to build a “house” may be an option. “Building on” to the house to expand and grow may be an option. However, when we look at the “godly home” that we are building here in our family life, there are no options. We sure can’t “rent” a godly home! We can’t even “buy” a godly home! We are thrust into building. We all must build a godly home!
Think that is tough work? Well, beloved, its even bigger that that! Building does not ever end.
We have the constant pulls of the strain to continue the project even when we are totally worn out! There is NO closing day! We must grow or a lack of growth results in damage that can ultimately pluck down the godly home bit-by-bit, until we find ourselves in the midst of brokenness… shambles… rubbish!
Who wants a broken home? Who wants a mess?
I really don’t think that a woman ever begins her marriage or childbearing with the goal of being “the foolish” woman who plucks her home “down with her own hands.” At least, I have never met a woman with a heart bent on destruction of her family or home. Call it my opinion, but I just don’t think that there is one woman created with a heart’s desire set on ruining or tearing apart her home. I think all women want to build a home. A happy home. I think we all have a deep desire to build our home. I think we all have dreams. I think we can almost see it… feel it… and even smell it from the time we are little girls holding on to our baby dolls!
So, how do we get there? We want to be like the wise woman. We want to build our home. We do not want to tear it down with our own hands. So, what do we do? I have a few suggestions to get us started…
1. Know that there are no options–we must build our homes. We cannot rent. We cannot buy a home ready to live in. Sure, it is nice to have a godly inheritance when we get started, but how many of us have that in this day and time? Even if we did have a legacy of godliness, we cannot rest on it. We all must build. A wise woman must build her godly home. YOU must build your own home. So many women come to the end of the journey shocked that going to church was not enough. They sit in the shambles and wonder how they got there. Usually it is not intentional. They did not MEAN for everything to fall apart around them. They were busy. They were doing like so many others. But, if we do not intentionally BUILD our homes, everything falls apart around us. There is no option. We must build our homes. The wise woman builds her home.
2. Know that your home is your biggest and best investment. As I look at our house, it is still by far one of the biggest investments that we have poured into through the years. We had choices when we built. We could have saved a few bucks and cut corners all along the way. Why didn’t we? We had to LIVE IN WHAT WE BUILT. 🙂 Sure others who build houses might “get by” with what they do, but they don’t typically have to deal with the ramifications. We live with the ramifications–good and bad. Our godly home is no different. We will deal with the ramifications for eternity. If we chose “seconds” or just “get by” as we build, we will pay the price. We should invest our very best in our homes. Our best time. Our best energy. Our best talents. The best of our gifts. Our family should get our very, very best. Sure, there are days when we face distractions, interruptions, and hindrances. But, those days should be the exception, not the rule. I get a lot of those days when I am in dire need to prune back on my schedule and commitments and re-organize my life. When I am sticking to my priorities, it is amazing how much better things go. I have the very best for those I love the most and I can always fit in extras without running out completely. Invest the very best in your home and family. It is your biggest and best investment. The wise woman invests her biggest and best in her own home. She builds her home.
3. Know that the little things build your home and the little things tear it down. Watch the little things! Little things bring success–time, focus, priority, dependability, etc. Just little things, but they build the home. Also, those are little things, but without intentionally building with them, the home begins to fall apart. Think of marriage. Think of your relationship with your children. Those little things make or break the home. Watch the little things!
4. Know that you never stop! If there is one thing that I have learned with my house, you can’t stop cleaning or maintaining or building. It is a forever commitment! Building a godly home is even more of a commitment. If you stop, it will not be long until it all turns to rubbish. You MUST keep on! Just think about your marriage. It will not be a passionate, forever marriage unless you intentionally build your marriage. Put your marriage on the back burner and you will soon find that everything vaporizes and burns up. Your marriage must be a priority ALL through the years. You must be intentional as you minister to your spouse. You can’t stop. You can’t put him on hold without everything falling apart. Same with your children. Don’t buy the lies of the culture. They need for you to be all you can be so you can pour into their lives each and every day. They need for you to be ALL THERE. They need who you are. You never get finished. Even when they are grown and gone on into their own lives, building their own families, you are still building your legacy. You never stop. It is a forever commitment. Even after death, your legacy goes on. So, build intentionally. Build a strong foundation. Build a home that can weather the storms. Keep on building each and every day. Never stop! The wise woman builds. That means that she keeps on building. The end is her legacy–she builds a home.
Well, sweet friend. Got your hammer out today? Step up to the call. Build your home. You are the wise woman who builds her home.
“Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.” Proverbs 14:1
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