Proverbs 31:16
"She considereth a field, and buyeth it:
with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."
Last time, after I posted about Miss 31 getting up "while it is yet night," I ended up being up and at 'em before the sun came up for a few days, too! Unfortunately, and to be honest, it was not because I set my alarm to go off. It was due to my 10 month old "baby alarm." But, hey, I was up! And I loved it. One step at a time....I'm getting there!
Today, I'm hitting the next verse.
"She considereth a field, and buyeth it..."
* Considereth - plan, purpose, devise, ponder.
We already know Miss 31 is organized. We also know that she is a godly woman. In this verse we see that she puts that organization into practice by studying a field, then making a wise purchase of that field. She doesn't do this rashly or on a sudden impulse. Being the godly woman that she is, she no doubt prayed over the matter and gave it careful thought and consideration. She had a plan for her family and she carefully thought about what she needed. Now, of course, this verse does not mean that we must go out and buy property. But I think it is inspiring that this lady put lots of planning and prayer into buying land that she can use to produce her own fruits and vegetables. Maybe wheat and cotton too! Who knows what all she planted and grew! But she considered it before she made the purchase.
Today, our decisions are often rushed and we rarely stop and pray over this-or-that before making decisions and commitments. She, however, pondered it. Maybe she asked herself:
Will this field bring honor to the Lord?
Have I consulted with my husband and sought his wisdom?
Am I financially able to purchase this field?
Am I committed to assume the responsibilities that this field will have for me?
Will this field be a blessing to my household or a burden?
As I have mentioned previously, I do not have a green thumb. I am proud of myself when I can keep flowers alive for longer than a month. For the past two years, I have wanted to plant a garden and, Lord willing, I intend on doing so this spring, regardless of my history. I want to plant my own vegetables and fruits, which will not only save money on fresh produce at the grocery store, but will be much healthier for us to eat. Of course, the pure satisfaction of simply growing something is an added bonus!
"...with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."
Maybe she didn't plant vegetables or wheat. It is quite probable that the purpose of the field was to provide a place for a vineyard so that the family and others could enjoy the fruit! Miss 31 is a business woman, we will later learn. We know she is wise and carefully considers things before making a decision. I believe this portion this tells us that she buys the field and plants a vineyard 1) with the funds from previous work she has done, or 2) with funds that her husband has allotted to her. It is "the fruit of her hands." She doesn't go into debt in order to purchase the field. Her whole goal is to bless her household, not add a strain or a burden. We need to take notes! We can all learn so much from her example.
Personally, I want to be wise. I want to carefully pray over every decision I make. I want to be wise with money. And I want to be a good keeper of my home. James 1 tells us that if we lack wisdom, He will give it to us - liberally! So let us ask....and then use that wisdom to further bless our family.
Proverbs 31:16
"She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."
Today, I'm hitting the next verse.
"She considereth a field, and buyeth it..."
* Considereth - plan, purpose, devise, ponder.
We already know Miss 31 is organized. We also know that she is a godly woman. In this verse we see that she puts that organization into practice by studying a field, then making a wise purchase of that field. She doesn't do this rashly or on a sudden impulse. Being the godly woman that she is, she no doubt prayed over the matter and gave it careful thought and consideration. She had a plan for her family and she carefully thought about what she needed. Now, of course, this verse does not mean that we must go out and buy property. But I think it is inspiring that this lady put lots of planning and prayer into buying land that she can use to produce her own fruits and vegetables. Maybe wheat and cotton too! Who knows what all she planted and grew! But she considered it before she made the purchase.
Today, our decisions are often rushed and we rarely stop and pray over this-or-that before making decisions and commitments. She, however, pondered it. Maybe she asked herself:
Will this field bring honor to the Lord?
Have I consulted with my husband and sought his wisdom?
Am I financially able to purchase this field?
Am I committed to assume the responsibilities that this field will have for me?
Will this field be a blessing to my household or a burden?
As I have mentioned previously, I do not have a green thumb. I am proud of myself when I can keep flowers alive for longer than a month. For the past two years, I have wanted to plant a garden and, Lord willing, I intend on doing so this spring, regardless of my history. I want to plant my own vegetables and fruits, which will not only save money on fresh produce at the grocery store, but will be much healthier for us to eat. Of course, the pure satisfaction of simply growing something is an added bonus!
"...with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."
Maybe she didn't plant vegetables or wheat. It is quite probable that the purpose of the field was to provide a place for a vineyard so that the family and others could enjoy the fruit! Miss 31 is a business woman, we will later learn. We know she is wise and carefully considers things before making a decision. I believe this portion this tells us that she buys the field and plants a vineyard 1) with the funds from previous work she has done, or 2) with funds that her husband has allotted to her. It is "the fruit of her hands." She doesn't go into debt in order to purchase the field. Her whole goal is to bless her household, not add a strain or a burden. We need to take notes! We can all learn so much from her example.
Personally, I want to be wise. I want to carefully pray over every decision I make. I want to be wise with money. And I want to be a good keeper of my home. James 1 tells us that if we lack wisdom, He will give it to us - liberally! So let us ask....and then use that wisdom to further bless our family.
Proverbs 31:16
"She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."
I've really enjoyed reading your exploration of the Proverbs 31 woman. The posts have been very insightful. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIn regard to planting a garden without a green thumb, visit sproutrobot.com for instructions on when and what to plant in your area. It's extremely helpful in decreasing some of the unknown of gardening. Good luck! :)