**The Wise Builder and the Cunning Schemer: A Tale of Two Houses**
In the rolling hills of Judah, where the sun painted golden streaks across the vineyards and olive groves, there lived two men whose lives stood in stark contrast—one wise, the other foolish. The first was a man named Jotham, a builder who feared the Lord and sought wisdom in all his ways. The other was Shemer, a cunning schemer who trusted in his own wit and despised correction. Their stories unfolded beneath the same sky, yet their choices led them down vastly different paths.
### **The Foundation of Wisdom**
Jotham had learned from his father the words of the Proverbs: *”By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures”* (Proverbs 24:3-4). And so, when the time came for him to build his home, he did not rush. He surveyed the land carefully, testing the soil, seeking the firmest rock upon which to lay his foundation.
For weeks, he labored under the scorching sun, digging deep, removing loose earth until he struck the unshakable bedrock. His neighbors mocked him. “Why waste time digging so deep?” they scoffed. “The rains will not come for months!” But Jotham paid them no mind. He knew the storms would come—perhaps not today, but someday. And when they did, he would be ready.
As he built, he filled his home with more than just fine furnishings. His wife, Deborah, was a woman of virtue, and together they raised their children in the fear of the Lord. Their doors were open to the needy, their table shared with the lonely. The wisdom of God was their guiding light, and their home became a refuge, a place of peace and strength.
### **The Folly of the Schemer**
Shemer, however, had no patience for such labor. He saw Jotham’s slow progress and sneered. “A house is a house,” he muttered. “Why waste effort on what lies beneath?” He chose a flat, pleasant spot near the riverbank, where the ground was soft and easy to dig. In a matter of days, his walls rose high, his roof was thatched, and his home stood complete—or so it seemed.
He filled his house with stolen wealth, for Shemer had grown rich through deceit. He bribed judges, oppressed the poor, and laughed at those who spoke of righteousness. “Might makes right,” he would say, clenching a fist. His feasts were lavish, his wine abundant, but his heart was hollow.
### **The Storm That Tested Both Houses**
Then came the season of rains. At first, it was a gentle drizzle, and Shemer smirked at the sky. “What did I fear? A little water?” But the drizzle became a downpour, and the downpour became a deluge. The river swelled, its banks crumbling, and the soft earth beneath Shemer’s house turned to mud.
One fateful night, as the winds howled like a pack of wolves, the unthinkable happened. The walls of Shemer’s home shuddered, then split apart with a groan. Before his eyes, his proud house collapsed into the raging waters, his treasures swept away in an instant. He barely escaped with his life, clawing through the debris, his fine robes torn, his pride shattered.
But Jotham’s house stood firm. The rains lashed against its walls, the river surged nearby, yet the foundation held. Inside, his family gathered in peace, their lamps burning bright, their hearts steady. When morning came, the storm had passed, and Jotham stepped outside to see the devastation along the riverbank. Shemer sat in the mud, staring blankly at the ruins of his life.
### **The Lesson of the Two Houses**
Jotham approached him, not with scorn, but with sorrow. “My friend,” he said gently, “the wise man builds on rock, but the fool builds on sand. You trusted in your own strength, but strength without wisdom is like a house without a foundation.”
Shemer looked up, his eyes wet with regret. “I thought I knew better,” he whispered.
Jotham extended a hand. “It is not too late to rebuild—this time, the right way.”
And so, the tale of the two houses spread throughout Judah, a living proverb for all who had ears to hear. For as it is written:
*”The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter”* (Proverbs 24:5, 11).
The house of the righteous stands firm, but the wicked will be swept away—unless they turn, repent, and build anew upon the Rock of Ages.
