David Reynolds

“Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:” Proverbs 9:1 KJV.

My God is a builder. The world was without form and void and then God created something beautiful. It was God who created families – and it was good.

“Every house is builded by some man” (Hebrews 3:4). A building does not just happen. When you look at a house, you see the builder revealed. You see before you the builder’s values, what he likes as far as style and building materials. You see his skills revealed in the finished product. You can also see his personality, along with his habits revealed in the neatness and upkeep. So it is with your home. Your values and workmanship will be revealed in your marriage, your family and your children.

The story is told of a father who owned a construction company. As his son came of age, he put him in charge of constructing a house and promised to let him build it all by himself. Trying to impress his father, the son built the house cheaply and as quickly as possible. The boy used cheap material and cut corners in places where he thought no one would see. When he finished, he proudly showed his Dad the receipts – and the finished product.

His father, with a smile, handed him the keys. Just as in this story you must live in the home of your own construction.

I remember well my first attempt at building a house. My forms gave way as I was pouring the foundation, thus causing a low spot in the front of the foundation wall. This flaw could not be hidden and finally showed up in the roofline. Mistakes made early in marriage will show up in your children and grandchildren.

If you are wise you will build upon Christ -the provided foundation. He is also your cornerstone – the point from which all your measurements should be taken. He has given you the tools and the materials. God has given you principles in His Word as a blueprint for your marriage and your family. The greatest principle for life is the ‘Lordship of Jesus Christ’.  He designed marriage, so who better to direct your construction?

Here in the ninth chapter of Proverbs, you have two houses being built. One house is built by ‘Wisdom’ and the other house by ‘Folly’. Both are personified as women.

‘Wisdom’ is a great lady preparing a nurturing banquet for those hungry for understanding. ‘Folly’, on the other hand, is portrayed as a foolish woman void of understanding sitting slovenly at her door. She seductively is inviting guest to enter and to share a moment of sensual pleasure. She assures them that: “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”[v.17]. She fails to tell them that the final payment is death and hell. It is sad that most today are building a house of ‘Folly’, as evidenced by the broken homes and destroyed children all around us.

We do not have to make the same mistake. We can build our family upon God and upon His Word. A home does not just happen; it is ‘hewn’ out daily by correct choices.  A pillar that is ‘hewn’ usually is of wood and is carved by hand with patient thought and effort. A loving Christian home follows God’s principles – they are as seven hewn pillars that Wisdom built. They decorate and hold up the house and make it a home.

God in His Wisdom created marriage and the family, along with the universe, from the very beginning. The Family is a God-ordained institution. Marriage is not an after-thought and it was not man-made, it was determined by God based upon His plan, His principles and His rules. You will find in the first three chapters of Genesis seven principles that if you will use, will result in a strong marriage and a loving home. These principles will stand the elements of time.

Seven Hewn Pillars that Wisdom Built

God planned the Family. God ordained Marriage.

God made them Male and Female. ‘We are not the ‘Same’.

God designed Children as a Spiritual Heritage.

God desires partners to ‘Leave and Cleave’.

God takes a Male and a Female and joins them as one.

God desires ‘No Shame’ in Marriage.

God decrees Roles, Relationships and Responsibilities.

Conclusion:

I cut out a Real Estate Ad many years ago, which showed a sad little girl clutching a doll with the following caption: “How can she play house if she doesn’t have a home?” There are many people today who are playing house, but they really do not have a home.

Buying a house does not make it a home. A house becomes a home only after a lot of loving living. A home has a family, and a true family happens only by following God’s plan and God’s principles. Only by following the way of Wisdom can one truly have a home.