Build Your House
Wisely
Proverbs 14:1: “The wise
woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.”
As believers, there are many virtues
in which we should be clothed, all of which are components of Christ’s nature:
love, humility, wisdom, faithfulness, truth, etc.
Similarly, our homes and all of our goings-on within should bear
reflection of Jesus.
The above verse from Proverbs
contrasts constructive behaviors with destructive ones. A wise woman will build, nurture, edify,
and strengthen her home and family. A
foolish woman, however, will neglect, impair, and ultimately destroy her home
and family. As women, wives, and
mothers, we have an inspiring example of womanly conduct and wisdom in the
Virtuous Woman of Proverbs 31.
(10) Who can find
a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
(11) The heart of
her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
(12) She does him
good and not evil All the days of her life.
(13) She seeks
wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.
(14) She is like
the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar.
(15) She also
rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants.
(16) She considers
a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard.
(17) She girds
herself with strength, And strengthens her arms.
(18) She perceives
that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night.
(19) She stretches
out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
(20) She extends
her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
(21) She is not
afraid of snow for her household. For all her household is clothed with
scarlet.
(22) She makes
tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
(23) Her husband
is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.
(24) She makes
linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants.
(25) Strength and
honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come.
(26) She opens her
mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
(27) She watches
over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.
(28) Her children
rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:
(29) “Many
daughters have done well, But you excel them all.”
(30) Charm is
deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be
praised.
(31) Give her of
the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.
Is this virtuous woman
an impossible standard?
Some Bible scholars
have speculated that she may be the embodiment of virtuous women collectively. But we shouldn’t dismiss her example. She is godly – she fears and serves
the Lord (v.30). She is
considerate, deliberate, meticulous, and self-disciplined (v.13, 16, 18). She is rich in strength, preparedness,
commitment, and productivity (v.15, 17, 21, 22, 24, 25). She is merciful and compassionate
(v.20). She brings honor to her
husband who has a strong reputation throughout the land in part because of her
(v.23). Her children recognize her
worth (v.28). She has wisely and
lovingly built her home with these eternal virtues, and her legacy will endure
throughout generations to come.
How do we apply her example to our
modern-day lives? Following are a
few practical examples.
Organize your home
From a manager’s perspective,
determine how you can better utilize the space, money, time, and energy you have
within or towards your home. My
husband and I love reading, and we own an extensive collection of books:
textbooks, Christian living books, study Bibles, reference volumes, etc., all of
which require a great deal of space. Because I use many of these books when home schooling our
children, donating them isn’t an option.
We transformed a small, otherwise useless closet into a library with the
addition of a few shelves and freed valuable space within our home for better
use. Be creative. Convert a small closet into a sewing
room with the addition of a pull-down table.
Convert a dark corner in your family room into a cheerful reading nook;
add a lively lamp, bookshelves, a comfortable reading chair, and a cozy blanket
for late-night studying.
Develop a schedule
What “to-dos” must you
accomplish each day? Each week? My daily “to-dos” include studying;
preparing for the following day’s home school lessons; baking bread; cleaning
countertops; washing dishes; sweeping and vacuuming; and laundry. Weekly, more time-consuming “to-dos”
include dusting, bathroom cleaning, and lawn work, all of which I assign to
Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays respectively.
Often, accomplishing each day’s task means that I am awake late into
the night while my husband and children are sleeping. These are my most productive hours, though, and I am very
deliberate towards using this time wisely.
Simplify
Clutter is distracting and requires
a great deal of space, time, and energy as you maintain sources of clutter
within your home. Donate clothing,
books, furniture, and other household items that are no longer in use.
Do
your “homework”
That is, work within your home:
“She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of
idleness.” Idleness is both unproductive and habit-forming, leading to a
lifestyle of dormancy. Remain
active and observant in your children’s lives as they play, watch television,
and study. Children are naturally
curious and eager to learn. We, as
parents, must discern whether they are learning according to the ways of the
world or the ways of the Word. Prioritize
family Bible study and memorization. Be
creative with Bible activities: reenact Bible stories (such as Noah’s Ark),
hold “Bible drills”, have your children discuss their favorite Bible verses
and why they are most meaningful to them.
Re-evaluate your system.
Set aside an hour every few months
to reorganize and re-evaluate your routine.
You may find further room for improvement.
Pray over your home
Ask the Lord to bless your home, to
make it a place of love, laughter, warmth, and precious memories. Ask Him to protect your home and all who
enter and depart from it. Dedicate
your home to Him, that you may glorify Him as you serve by working there:
“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Do
all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31)
This
means everything you do: whether you’re making your grocery list, cooking
breakfast for the kids, or hosting the neighborhood gathering. We should always seek to glorify and
honor God. As followers of Christ,
we can work not unto men, but unto Him (Ephesians 6:5-8), assured that we will
be rewarded eternally for the work we commit to His service.
