Page 54 - Sarah's Children

attended her; and she followed the messengers of David and became his
wife.

There are many women today who would describe Abigail’s attitude in a very
unflattering way, yet she was demonstrating great godliness. In her comment,
“Behold, your maidservant is a maid to wash the feet of my lord’s servants” she was
expressing the height of love. She was proclaiming that she would lay down her own
soul life with its ambitions and desires that she might seek the welfare and benefit
of others. It is questionable whether she spent much time actually washing people’s
feet, for she had five maidens of her own to attend to her, and later she lived as the
wife of the king in the king’s palace. She was expressing her heart attitude, however.
She was not entering into a marriage relationship with David to get out of it what she
could. Instead she was seeking to give of herself.

Yahshua demonstrated that this should be our attitude when He washed His
disciples’ feet. He also demonstrated it when He went to the cross, laying down His
life for others. All that we have looked at in this matter of taking up the cross is a
demonstration of love. This must be the foundation upon which a home is built. The
woman should demonstrate this love if she wants her house to rest on a sure
foundation. The scriptures speak of love as being a foundational matter. In
Ephesians 3:17, Paul prays that the saints might be “rooted and grounded in love.”
To be rooted and grounded are both foundational matters.

Walking in such love should be the first priority of a wise woman who seeks to build
her house. Secondly, a wise woman will seek to restore the proper governmental
order in her home. If love is the foundation of a home, then government is the
framework on which the building rises. It is what supplies order and structure, and
it provides safety and security to those who allow their lives to be governed by it.

Speaking negatively, we are told that a foolish woman will tear down her home with
her own hands. She does this first by not taking up the cross and denying self. She
does it by insisting on her own way and demanding that she be able to live her own
life. Secondly, a foolish woman tears down her house by seeking to overturn the
governmental order of Yahweh. This will destroy a home as surely as if she went out
and began removing the supporting beams that hold up the framework of her house.

However, this book is written for the godly woman who seeks to be a homemaker,
not a home destroyer. A godly woman will seek to affirm her husband’s or father’s
role and calling in order that her entire household might be afforded protection,
comfort, and peace. She seeks to instill in her children an appropriate reverence and
respect for the delegated authorities of Yahweh. She seeks to bring honor into her
home.