Proverb for the Day 14:1 — A Woman and A Lady!

The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

We met these two women before (chapter 9). Both are understood as wives and mothers living in a typical ancient Israelite house with a typical ancient Israelite family.

Wives and mothers have always been key to providing good things in the home for their families. The wise woman provides a special and safe house for her family. The foolish woman – by her attitudes and actions – actually does things which tear down and destroy both her family and their home.

Of course, foolish women don’t have to be that way. It is not a lack of intellect, but a matter of choices. While the verse doesn’t even mention God, in the end, He does make the difference. Our definition of wisdom is “seeing life from God’s point of view” and fools says in their hearts “there is no God” (Ps 14:1).

Every day, both women have to make the decision to connect with God and receive His empowerment or to simply do it their own way. The wise woman has learned to do it long enough that it has become a way of life – and her family is the beneficiary.