Proverbs by Zondervan

Proverbs by Zondervan

Author:Zondervan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2018-03-01T05:00:00+00:00


In this season of life, how would you describe your level of hope? What stirs your hope? As you survey your circumstances, what promises from the Scriptures can you study and meditate on to increase your hope?

Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

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

—Proverbs 14:1

Read Proverbs 14:1–19

You’ve probably heard it said, “She’s her own worst enemy.” The saying communicates that a person’s own foolish choices bring her problems that cause trouble. According to the Scriptures, God established three distinct institutions: marriage and the home (Genesis 2:18–25), government (Genesis 9:1–6; Romans 13), and the local church (Acts 2). 37 A woman has tremendous influence in her home. Solomon pointed out that a woman can build up her home or tear it down. It’s often been said that the woman sets the tone for the entire household. A wise woman will create an atmosphere that gives everyone who lives there an opportunity to flourish, while a foolish woman lives in a way that creates a toxic environment that causes things to deteriorate. Having good relationships with the family members with whom we share our homes is a central part of enjoying our lives.

Solomon’s wives were his downfall. God’s plan for marriage included monogamy, but Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3). Some of Solomon’s wives were from pagan nations that didn’t worship the living God of the Bible. His pagan wives eventually influenced Solomon, and he sinned against God and was disciplined by the Lord. Solomon could say from bitter experience that wives either build up their homes or tear them down (Proverbs 14:1). Wives who revere the Lord build healthy homes. Those who rebel against God create dysfunctional environments for their husbands and children.

A woman’s character dramatically impacts her husband. Solomon wrote, “A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones” (12:4). Obviously, there’s an enormous difference between a “crown” and “decay,” but those are the metaphors Solomon used to describe the potential influence a woman has on her husband.

None of us want to be our own worst enemy, especially in our home life. The book of Proverbs provides the most excellent instruction on relationship skills because it was given to us by God, and it provides the information we need to know to have healthy relationships in our marriage, family, jobs, and broader circles of influence. As we learn about God’s wisdom and obey His instruction, our relationships will improve because we will mature in our people skills. The more we grow in our relationship with Christ, the greater capacity we will have to love other people well and make healthy decisions for our homes.

Father, thank You for my loved ones. I pray I will be someone who builds up my home rather than one who tears it down. Teach me to help my loved ones flourish and empower me to create a home life where my family members thrive.



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