“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish tears hers down.”
Who in her right mind would tear down her own house with her own hands, the very hands that should have been used to build it in the first place? A foolish woman, the bible says.
What is foolish about it? Well, is it not foolish to treat your own house as if it did not really belong to you, or to not really value your own possession? Apparently, a woman’s best possession or asset is her reputation, isn’t? Is it not foolish to bring yourself to ruin or to lose your precious possession(s) by your own destructive actions/behaviours? I think it is. What about you?
I see in Proverbs 14:1 a reminder of what happens when, in this case, a woman demonstrates foolishness by failing to appreciate the value and purpose of her own possession (what belongs to her), or failing to appreciate her life or self-worth. As metaphor, a woman’s house could be anything that offers her shelter, comfort, respectability, good reference in society, stable life, secure future, etc…. It could be her marriage, character, carrier or profession, family….
I also see in Proverbs 14:1 a reminder that nothing is offered to a woman on a golden plate, as it were, something is always expected of her. If she is to truly possess anything it is at the cost of her personal commitment to acquiring it through work (possession and reputation) and this is how she adds value to it. The wise woman understands this, hence the bible says she builds her house, she is intentionally involved in the process, so that she can claim ownership of it. It is important to note that whilst wisdom helps her keep and enjoy what she has, foolishness could cost her everything she has.
In other words, wisdom helps build but foolishness does the opposite, that is, it helps destroy. Hence, women are invited to seek for wisdom and shun foolishness, which is evident in the failure to appreciate one’s self worth and thus living anyhow.
It is significant to note that King Solomon wrote Proverbs primarily for the benefit of his son, as suggest the introductory lines of few chapters (1-7). Accordingly, it is very likely that King Solomon here wants his son to understand that there are only two kinds of women in the world, namely, the wise woman and the foolish woman. He says to his son, “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” In other words, the foolish woman cannot build her house, she can only tear it down with her own hands, and this is how you can tell who she is.
Undoubtedly, he expected his son to be wise enough to understand the benefit of seeking for the wise woman and taking time until he found her and not let her go when he finds her. I submit that the wise woman is bound to make a good wife. This is for the men reading the message: The foolish woman does not become wise in marriage….
Please note that the focus in Proverbs 14:1 is on the two kinds of women and not the material or foundation they use to build their houses, as is the case in few commentaries. Here King Solomon is still arguing for the supremacy of wisdom and he is advising his son accordingly.
For the purpose of this message, however, let me draw your attention, if you are a woman, to the value of wisdom in building your house (i.e. life, marriage, home, profession,…) and remember James 3:17, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
May the Lord help us all, in Jesus Christ’s name!
