Building Houses

The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands. - Proverbs 14:1

Wisdom builds a house. By understanding this house is brought forth from obscurity, it becomes known as a home. An established place made of comforts. A place to rest and heal when sick.

A warm space for a child to return home to. Maybe art could be on the walls or maybe understanding knows the occupants prefer white blank walls. Either way a house is built by the wise. Carefully considering everyone that dwells there.

Rooms are filled by knowledge of the needs of others as well as knowing what you need in order to be a person at their best. The wise woman building her house needs rest too. A wise woman building her house doesn’t become a martyr or a slave. It is just a house after all.

It isn’t the tower of Babel built up high and arrogantly as a slap in the face of God. Built up to protect themselves because they didn’t trust God.

“Let us build a city for ourselves, with a tower that touches the sky. Let us make a name for ourselves or else we may be sent everywhere over the whole earth.” Genesis 11:4

The wise build up unmotivated by society, unconcerned about the evil that is everywhere. The wise woman builds and God dwells within her. A Holy Spirit, a part of a trinity that will never be scattered. We are known by God. That is enough.

Anyone can build a house, anyone can build a tower, but the wise build differently. The wise build from a pure heart without ulterior motives, without fears and lies hiding in corners. The wise trust in God not in the house. The wise woman’s house is full of gratefulness, for the little or for the plenty.

The neighbor is welcomed not envied. The people living in the house are treated kindly and are expected to treat others the same way. I have had a dozen houses that I’ve called home. In each one I’ve seen that the same hands that can build up can also tear down.

Since I want to build, I’ll hang the art, and fill the bookcases, I’ll be nice about cluttered tables. The daughter might like the guest room walls to stay white. There will always be bread, hot and buttery, especially for Thanksgiving ..and the cranberry sauce situation will be kept under control.