The Wife's Contribution to the Family Legacy

Proverbs 14
1. Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

The first thing we should notice from this text is that the wife is a major contributor to the success of a Family Legacy. Any husband that thinks he does it all and that his wife is just along for the ride thinks foolishly. But didn’t God plan it this way from the beginning?

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:26-27)

Here we see in verse 27 that when God created man in his own image he meant mankind – male and female together. It is male and female working together to whom God has given dominion. Therefore the husband and wife must work as a team to build their Family Legacy, and the purpose of that Family Legacy is dominion.

How does the wise woman build her house? One of the main ways is by teaching her children wisdom. Isn’t that what this book has been saying all along?

“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion . . . My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.” (Proverbs 1:1-4, 8-9)

And what is the beginning of this wisdom?

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

This is why David could say in Psalm 119:99.

“I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.”

If we desire our children to have greater success than ourselves, then they must get more wisdom than we have. Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and mother, Eunice, did it correctly.

“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” (2 Timothy 1:5)

“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:15-17)