She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard. Proverbs 31:16 (NIV)
When was the last time you bought a field and planted a vineyard? I’m guessing that date is close to . . . never have I ever!
I’ve often found the woman described in these verses to be a source of frustration—her standards unattainable. Take the verse above, for example. I love to garden, but I’m not interested in buying a field and planting a vineyard. I don’t have the time, energy, or know-how. And if you ask my family, you’ll learn I also don’t have the green thumb. My house is where plants go to die. My gardening skills fall far short of being a gift from the Lord.
Does God intend for me to literally buy a field and start a vineyard? I’m convinced He doesn’t.
But through study I’ve gained a new perspective on fields and vineyards and being that Virtuous Wife.
This wisdom is not meant for wives alone. We don’t have to be married to be a bride—the Bride of Christ, which is the church to which we are all members. So single ladies, please don’t check out as I make my way through these thoughts and into this vineyard I’m about to plant.
It’s important to know that Proverbs Thirty-One is a chiastic poem which means it is a sequence of ideas presented and then repeated in reverse order. The wisdom here isn’t a set of building blocks meant to stack on one another—do step one, then move to step two—but more like a fence marking the boundaries for living a God-honoring life.
GOOD FENCES START WITH STRONG CORNER POSTS
“But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” v. 30
Fear of the Lord is my corner post. It upholds the boundaries of truth and keeps them pulled tight, guarding my way so I don’t stray from His pasture. It is also the quality that guides and directs us in following everything else listed in these verses of Proverbs 31.
This fear is a reverent fear that leads us to worship the Lord. In it we experience the joy of being fully surrendered and obedient to His Word. With it we not only learn, but love and trust, the bounds He has set for righteous living.
As I read through and meditated on these verses about these—let’s be honest—amazing, but seemingly impossible to attain standards, I’ve often struggled to find the means of progression. It has felt more like a giant—in more ways than one—to-do list of impossible tasks. I’m a procedurally oriented person. In my mind, step one should always come before and lead to step two. But understanding that isn’t how this portion of scripture is written helped me find a sequence I hadn’t noticed before.
THE PLACE TO START
What if we started with verse 30? What if we became “a woman who fears the Lord” first by cultivating our knowledge and relationship with the Lord before we explored the overwhelming list of attributes for being a Proverbs 31 woman?
What if there’s a better place to start unraveling the wisdom of this woman?
“She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she buys a vineyard.” (v.16)
The Proverbs 31 woman starts with fear. We don’t fear what we don’t know. This is often true in the sense of physical fear from things that could harm us, but it is always true of the reverent fear of the sovereign power and glory of God.
If we want to develop a true and lasting fear of the Lord, we need to recognize this is the field we not only desire but can’t live without.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” Psalm 111:10 (NIV)
Our hearts can and should be fertile soil for producing godly fruit. But that “field” doesn’t come without a cost. It must be considered and purchased.
In part two of this message, I’ll talk about how and with what we buy the field.
Until then, how does this rethinking of the Proverbs Thirty-One Woman make you feel? Does it stir new hope and thoughts of possibility?
Republished with permission from Blogs.crossmap.com, featuring inspiring Bible verses about The Proverbs 31 Woman Part One–A Real Estate Transaction.
