4 Ways a Wise Woman Builds Her Home

HomeWisdom

Apr 27

Written By Susan Zurcher

The book of Proverbs tells us a wise woman builds her home (14:1) and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches (24:4). Sounds simple enough, but what does that mean and how do we do it?

And what about the Proverbs 31 woman? What comes to mind when you think of that long list of accomplishments?

Let’s skip that part.

I’d be dead if I did all that.

The Proverbs what woman?

She gets up while it is still dark, she makes food for everyone, gives to the poor, she is a savvy businesswoman, her husband has complete faith in her, etc.

Whew! Is this the superwoman I’m supposed to be? we may be wondering.

Not to worry. Proverbs 31:10-31 is an acrostic poem where each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in sequence.

It describes the attributes of a godly woman we can aspire to be over a lifetime, not all at once. And this can be a guideline for any woman, married or single, in any season of life.

While we don’t have to be superwomen – or even close - here are four ways to be wise and build a God-honoring home:

Our Words

It has been said women are responsible for the temperature of the home. In other words, we set the tone of our homes by our words and attitude (See more at What Did You Say?).

Do we speak lovingly to our husbands and children? Do we build them up or tear down? Do we have a positive or negative outlook?

Are we praising God for His blessings or like ungrateful children, complaining about our life and what we don’t have?

Scripture tells us repeatedly our words have power. We can speak life and healing, or death and curses - all with our words. We all can remember things said to us years ago – especially the negative. Research shows it takes at least 5 positive comments to outweigh a negative one!

By our words, we can make our homes a place of welcome and respite, or a place to be avoided.

Organization

The temptation may be to take this to the extreme and think we have to be perfect or we miss the mark. We all need structure and order to some degree and finding that sweet spot of having enough, but not being too rigid is key.

After all, God is a God of order. Being organized provides security for the family.

Everyone knows what is expected and can relax knowing there is a semblance of dependability to rely on.

Chaos on the other hand breeds stress and anxiety for everyone. It negatively affects our body and mind and can lead to health issues if chronic.

Balance

We cannot take care of others if we are not taking care of ourselves. While it may feel selfish at times to tend to our own health, it is imperative if we desire to serve our families well – and for a lifetime.

When my kids were small, they knew not to interrupt my quiet time or my exercise time. We all knew I was a much happier wife and mother if I guarded these times.

As long as our self-care does not take away from caring well for our husband and children, it will only benefit all.

Also, when we care for ourselves, our children learn by example. Self-care and healthy habits learned early in childhood become lifetime habits much easier to maintain than those learned later in life.

Finances

This is a biggie. Whether you keep the budget or not, we are to be wise stewards with the money God has entrusted to us. Throw a family in the mix and you’ve got many things to consider.

We must think about not only today’s needs, but tomorrow’s as well. Firstly, we need to tithe and give back to God some of His money for Kingdom purposes.

Then we need to budget for bills, groceries, clothes, etc. but also future vacations, cars, emergencies needs, college, etc.

This area can require more wisdom and finesse since many couples see money differently. One is a saver, one a spender. We must face this issue back-to-back with a ‘teamwork makes the dream work’ attitude instead of being against one another.

How we handle the gifts God has given us says a lot about what we believe. When we live within our means, it shows we trust God to provide for our needs. When we overspend, it shows our lack of trust in God’s provision and/or self-control.

If you and your spouse are at a stalwart, seek help. Look for a Christian financial course, seek out a couple who has conquered this area and/or get professional counseling.

Money isn’t going to go away and the sooner you are on the same page, the better.

Building Our Home

‘Building our home’ may feel like a tall order, but one well worth the effort. We all would agree a peaceful home where we can relax and be a respite from the chaos of the outside world is priceless.

More importantly, it points to our Lord. He welcomes us in to find peace and rest. Need help building a godly home? Just ask. He loves for us to come to Him as we welcome our own children. James 1:5 tells us God gives wisdom generously when we ask. He is generous with wisdom and provides all we need for life and godliness, not to mention everything you can find online.

How do you build your happy home?