- Many think money, fame
and the things of this world will make them happy. But what are those things, if you do not have the
wisdom to sustain them? (upbeat music) Acquiring more does not
make us more discerning or responsible, it only reveals more of who we already are on the inside. (upbeat music continues) (soft clapping) The "Book of Proverbs," offers
instruction and insights on how to live a godly life. From how we should use
wisdom with our words, relationships and decisions, this book offers practical
ways to live life well, in the will of God. Tucked away in this
book, we find a scripture that I've been thinking
about a lot lately. Proverbs 14:1 says, "The
wise woman builds her house. But with her own hands the
foolish one tears hers down." When we think of a
woman building her home, we may think of a wife, mom or homemaker. I believe however, that the truth this scripture points
to applies to all women, no matter your marital status or if you have children or not. Honestly, this verse speaks to more than just taking care of a home. It's about the fact that
we've all been entrusted with the resources,
experience and knowledge. We have the choice to
use those things wisely to build up or we can
foolishly choose to tear down. A wise woman has the discernment to know which actions, thoughts and words will build and which will destroy, and she chooses accordingly. Proverbs tells us, "Blessed
is the one who finds wisdom and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and
her profit, better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire
can compare with her." Many think money, fame and
the things of this world will make them happy. But what are those things, if you do not have the
wisdom to sustain them? Acquiring more does not make us more discerning or responsible. It only reveals more of who
we already are on the inside. A builder doesn't only need
materials to build a house, they need a blueprint. They need a plan to know how to properly put the materials together to
build the house they desire. The materials alone are not enough. In the same way, if a woman
wants to build a life of honor, legacy and strength, she needs wisdom. Wisdom is the blueprint
that guides and directs us on how to use what God has given us to build up and not tear down. So where does she receive this wisdom? From God. Proverbs 9:10 tells us, "The fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the
Holy One is insight." A wise woman fears the Lord, meaning she reverences Him
and honors Him in her life. She seeks Him first and He provides the wisdom, instruction and insight, to not only receive the
life He has for her, but to also maintain and keep it. Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and instruction." It is the foolish woman who
will resist seeking God. And with her own hands, tear
down the life she builds, because she can not
sustain it without Him. Even more, if she has built the foundation of her life without God, how can she endure and withstand
when things get difficult? She can't. So if a woman wants to build
her life and those around her, if she wants to become
a woman of influence, if she does not want to
unnecessarily sabotage the blessings God has entrusted to her, she needs to wisely gain
understanding from God, on how to live. Where do we get this
understanding from God? His Word. God has given us the wisdom
and blueprint for life in His Scriptures. Jesus further teaches this
truth with these words, "Everyone then who hears these
words of Mine and does them, will be like a wise man who
built his house on the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house. But it did not fall because it
had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these Words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who
built his house on the sand. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and
beat against that house. And it fell and great was the fall of it." When I think of a woman of God, who has wisely built a flourishing life on the foundation of God's Truth, and a sincere relationship with Him, I think of the example
of the Proverbs 31 woman, found in Proverbs 31:10-31. Next week, we'll take a deeper look at the seven virtues of
the Proverbs 31 woman, to build a life of honor,
dignity and strength. Until then, let me know
what wisdom have you lived, that has helped you to build
a life that honors God. Let's build one another
up in the comments. Also, if you are
interested in learning more about the Proverbs 31 woman, and what it means to practically
live as a woman of virtue, I wanna invite you to my next online video Bible study series called, "Worth More Than Rubies." A grace-filled Bible study on the seven virtues of
the Proverbs 31 woman. We are going in depth, with not only what the virtues are, but how we can gracefully and practically live them out to live lives
of honor, dignity and legacy. Our study, "Worth More Than Rubies," starts this February. You can join and learn more
at belovedwomen.org/rubies, so that you don't miss
out on this encouraging and practical study of
the Proverbs 31 woman, with all your beloved
sisters around the world. I look forward to studying, "Worth More Than Rubies," with you. Listen, if today's video encouraged you, please be sure to share it with a friend, because you just never know who might need some beloved encouragement today. As always, thank you so much for watching and until next time, be
beautiful, be blessed and beloved. (upbeat music) (soft clapping)
