A Fool’s Household

Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands. – Proverbs 14:1

My house came pre-built. I didn’t have to pick up a hammer or hang dry wall. In fact, we decided against purchasing a “fixer upper” because neither my husband nor I am naturally gifted with handyman skills.

So how am I supposed to obey Scripture and build my house?

Though Proverbs chapter 14 was not necessarily intended to serve as one cohesive train of thought, we can pick some great themes to help us think through building our household.

Verse 2: Integrity vs. Deviousness
We should strive to fill our homes with integrity. Walking through the door should cause a sense of relief as we have entered into our safe place. A house that is full of lies and deceit breeds distrust. If we disagree with a situation or decision, scheming and finding loopholes is not the proper way to handle our feelings.

Verse 10: Joy vs. Bitterness
God created families to walk through life together. We journey through our daily doldrums as well as difficult decisions. Through it all, we are to live with unfaltering joy, giving thanks to the Lord for all He has accomplished in our lives. When we lose sight of gratitude, bitterness takes root. 

Verse 23: Hard Work vs. Endless talk
Whether we are working outside or inside of the home, keeping up with the tasks at hand is hard work. We are not called to over commit ourselves, double book our schedules, or say yes to every offer that comes our way. But we are to work. It’s easy to sit back and talk about what needs to be accomplished but it takes work to get it done.

As women of the faith, allowing deviousness, bitterness or endless talk to enter our homes will tear our families apart. Proverbs 14 calls us to “build our homes.” We don’t have to run down to the nearest hardware store or take a lesson in plumbing. Rather, we are to encourage our children and husband to allow the fruits of the spirit to flourish in our homes so that the love of God is shown not just on mission trips or in the pews but in our daily lives.