a wise woman builds

My church is reading through the Proverbs each month this year, and one phrase from chapter 14 has velcro-ed itself to me: The wise woman builds her house...Which (in case you're wondering) means pretty much exactly what it says. 

This tiny seed principle has taken root and grown this lush jungle of application in my heart. Now (lest you think I've gone and belly flopped off the hermeneutical deep end) honestly, the scope of this application fits more perfectly within the sprawling borders of Proverbs 31. It's just that, well, perhaps in a couple decades I'll feel more comfortable handling that passage? So I'm sticking with 14:1 while thinking about the virtuous woman. K? Here we go...

.........................................................

A wise woman builds. 

Never tears down. 

Never diminishes her responsibilities. 

Never neglects those souls and things directly under her care. 

When people/ projects/needs run up against her they're furthered. Strengthened. Comforted. Filled. Her life is one upward, sweeping movement. And what is nearest is caught up in that push. And left better than it was. 

Building implies controlling. So the wise woman handles life. She does not let life handle her. She looks at what God has placed in her hand and says, what can I make with this circumstance? This blessing? This trial? (lemonade out of lemons anyone?) 

But she's not a random creative. She's following a blueprint. God's wisdom found in His Word is her step by step guide. And she's always comparing her work to that guide. Am I building up this person properly? Are my priorities fit together correctly? Is my foundation strong? 

Even when there's a lull in the obvious action, the wise woman doesn't stop. She's gathering resources. Redeeming the time. Laying up qualities of eternal value. Filling herself with the Word and begging the filling of the Spirit. There is never NOT something for her to build. And if she may build every moment, then every moment has value.

She builds her home. Builds its atmosphere. Builds by maintaining it. Making it a place of health. Ever increasing and changing in beauty and comfort. A better reflection of her and/or her family's priorities. Of their personality and stage of life. She builds her family. The strength, courage, and diligence that requires? You know you have my deepest admiration as wives and mothers, right? She builds others. Her friends. Her authorities. (dare I say, her enemies?) Coworkers. Strangers. Church-folk. She builds her skills and spiritual gifts. She's not content to let her natural abilities atrophy. And she thinks: I love doing_______for God, how can I do it better? More effectively? more often? For the benefit of more people? 

...........................................................

So, how ya doin' with that building principle, Beth? 

Hey! You're not supposed to ask me that! I'm the ALMIGHTY BLOGGER don't ya know!?! No really, This principle's a challenge for yours truly. Here's why: 

• Building must be intentional. No one looks down and startles to find themselves building. It takes thought, preparation, purpose...and for someone who's status quo looks like drifting happily on the sun-kissed waves of life, that's a challenge. 

• Building implies work. See those construction crews out this summer? No walk in the park, yo. It takes sweat equity. Mental energy. And sometimes I simply don't want to work. Times I'm sorely inconvenienced by some necessary task. When I grumble and complain about the materials I've been given. (Anyone could build an Eiffel tower life with her resources....) 

• Building means I can't destroy. I mean, there's just times I want to tear down all the things, folks. ALL. THE. THINGS. Situations when building feels wrong, and has no advantage for me. When it rubs against my emotional grain...

...........................................................

But this wise woman in Proverbs understands something about her wisdom.

It's foundation is the fear of the Lord. An accurate and thriving knowledge of God that affects every area of her life. Because she knows her God, she knows she may pull every needed resource from a Divine storehouse. Everything for her life and godliness. Drink full on from the well of her salvation. Abide in the Vine. She knows the buck doesn't stop with her. She builds, but like a child whose hand is cupped in a father's palm: guided and enabled by someone much wiser and stronger than herself. 

So we find that this wise woman and her work is not beyond our reach. We may well cultivate this fear of the Lord, draw our resources from Him, and see a building up of everything under our care. And if the Lord is building the house...

Our labor is not in vain.

Beth