Noonday Notes

Volume 2 Issue 15

September 18th, 2026

As part of my ongoing formation into a God fearing woman I took a little dive into Proverbs 31 this week, you know the overused often misunderstood “checklist” for women. As a newbie in the Word I tend to get stuck on one verse and go down a rabbit hole. Specifically this verse, “She considers a field and buys it.” (Proverbs 31:16 ESV).

I can be impulsive, but that also means I’m pretty good at making decisions in a timely manner. If you need someone to decide where to eat or what music to play, I’m your girl. I recently downsized my closet, partly to symbolically make room for a husband because I want one, but also while it can be fun to consider what to wear, I think my time could be used elsewhere. Let’s be honest, I’ll just wear the overalls again anyway.

The Proverbs 31 woman is industrious. She’s productive. She works hard. Everyone loves her. But before she buys the field, she considers it. Commence the “consider” rabbit hole. Context is everything. I’m not a biblical scholar but apparently “consider”, or rather zāmam, is typically used when people are making big decisions, weighing options, and paying attention. Sometimes in a negative way, like plotting (Psalm 37:12).

The point is consideration is more than a quick reaction. It’s sustained attention. It’s turning something over and over in your mind. It’s playing the tape through. Sitting with something long enough to act wisely instead of reacting impulsively.

But there’s danger in allowing consideration to morph into stagnant rumination. You can consider for so long that you never actually do anything. That can happen on the farm too. As a farmer you have to consider past growing seasons as well as present conditions and the future forecast. I’ve been considering planting and seeding for a few weeks now and still haven’t done it.

Somewhere in all of that, I landed in Matthew 6. “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin.” (Matthew 6:28 ESV)

I love that both passages involve a field and talk of food and clothing. The birds gather food each day. Proverbs girly is a master seamstress. And in both passages we are told to “consider”. Not paralysis by analysis. Not endless overthinking or fear disguised as wisdom.

One must eliminate the noise so one can hear. Give something the attention it deserves. Consider the past, the present, and the future. And then remember that the woman in Proverbs 31 doesn’t just consider the field. She buys it. One must act. One must go see about a girl (Good Will Hunting fans?)

So what decision are you considering? Is it time to buy the field?

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