101. The Demise of Mother Goose

Proverbs 14:1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. NIV

Obviously the verse is not talking about home construction; it is speaking figuratively of the building of the family. I wish it went into some detail about how to build your house, and how it can be torn down. Instead, we need to look at other scriptures for clues as to what this verse could be referring to.

Last year I watched a mother goose building her nest at the park near our home. She collected reeds and cotton tails from the pond and worked diligently for a couple of days at building a nest. Without the benefit of opposable thumbs this was somewhat of a frantic and awkward event. I found it quite humorous. She was desperately trying to build a home for her children that would be warm and safe.

Building a Christian home takes such diligence, not over a period of days, but decades. It does not always seem like a smooth process. Usually it appears more chaotic and haphazard. It is often humorous, but only when looking from the outside. These day-to-day difficulties consume many of our thoughts, “Are my kid’s getting enough calcium?” “Did I remember to turn off the lights?” “Did I put the turkey in the oven and let the cat out, or did I put the cat in the oven and let the turkey out?” Although consuming, these daily worries are not the typical home wreckers.

It would be wise to consider and avoid the true enemies to the security of our homes.

I’ve never seen a goose rip apart her nest. That would seem contrary to nature. Yet I’ve seen some women (and men) who, like the verse, have torn apart their own homes. Here is a collection of verses for thought and reflection on actions that may equate with tearing down your own house.

Disclaimer: I’ve seen an equal amount of destructive behavior from men, and most of these verses apply to them also. However, since the above verse talks about a woman, I’m going to leave it in that gender.

Being too soft to discipline faithfully
Proverbs 29:15 The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother. NIV

Being too harsh (a militant mom)
Job 39:16-17 She [the ostrich] treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers; she cares not that her labor was in vain, for God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense. NIV

Being disunited with husband
Luke 11:17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.”

Not prioritizing being with her children
Titus 2:4-5 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Immorality
Hebrews 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. NIV

Abusive of alcohol and addictive substances
Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. NIV

Greed (Consider in relation to shopaholicism, gambling, get-rich-quick schemes and overspending on credit cards)
Proverbs 15:27 The greedy bring ruin to their households, but those who hate bribes will live. TNIV

All of us need to take inventory of our lives at times. Although we love our families, we can easily be blind to how our actions will impact them. We need to be building our homes, not tearing them down! The mother goose may not have the sense to do much more than build a nest, but at least she doesn’t destroy her home to her own demise! May we be parents who have the sense to flee from the true enemies that destroy our homes.