Dennis L. Finnan Commentator
"The World, the Word & You! Broadcast"

THE IDEAL WOMAN

“LET’S FACE IT, OUR SOCIETY AND WORLD TODAY IS LOOKING FOR THE IDEAL IN EVERYTHING, INCLUDING OUR HUMANITY. BUT THE PROBLEM IS, WE ARE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACES…”

 I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about of all things, the IDEAL WOMAN!

…Indeed, we live in an age that seeks perfection, the ideal in everything ¾ especially in our humanity itself. Today, we seek perfection in education. We make sure the finest education can be obtained by everyone. The highest degrees are granted these days to men and women regardless of race, color, status or origins. We seek perfection in our land. We labor to see that our environment is perfect in all ways. Yes, we also seek perfection in our dwelling places. We see this with our exquisitely manicured lawns, and pampered flower gardens blossoming to their fullest extent. Why even in the physical realm of our existence, we seek to become a perfect and ideal specimen of humanity. We exercise, we eat right, we workout, and we attempt to maintain the most youthful and perfect state. Why just the other day on the television news, I saw a ninety plus year old great-grandmother, sky-diving to show how she maintained the perfect ideal of youthfulness in old age. Upon landing, she hopped on a four-wheeler and rode off into the sunset. Wow!

Well, there is no doubt, we all look for the ideal in everything. However, do you do God does too? One day Jesus spoke to a woman along the way. She asked Jesus a question, of which we do not know what it was, but we do have Jesus’ answer. He said,

Mat 5:48 (NLT)  “… you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Imagine that, God said she was to be “perfect.” The Greek word Jesus used was “teleios,” which means to reach the ideal, the end result or a perfect state. Again I say, “Wow!” Can you imagine a woman who reaches that state of perfection? Why she would indeed become… THE IDEAL WOMAN! Well after another musical pause, we’ll look into the Bible and see that God not only called you to be one, but He also gives us all the standards to look for to find that perfection. So, don’t go away, I’ll be right back with God’s estimation of… THE IDEAL WOMAN!

…We’re talking today about God’s estimation of what He believes is the ideal woman. No she isn’t necessarily 5’ 8” tall, weighing about 120 pounds, having a perfect slim waist and washboard abs, a perfectly sculptured body with a full figure. The Bible says,

1 Sam 16:7 (NASB)  But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature… for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

That statement of God was given to Samuel in the Old Testament, when he went looking for the man whom God would choose as king of Israel. Samuel thought the perfect man would be one who outwardly had the greatest physique and stature. God rejected the human choices and set before Samuel, a young boy named David. The point of this verse is a real truism – God does not look on the outward appearances of people as the final indicator of worth. He looks within the heart and mind to see the purity, the passions, the purpose, and the principles whereby that individual operates and lives. So today let’s look further into God’s Word and find what He says is the mark of  the “IDEAL”WOMAN.

We find this in the well known passages of the writings of King Solomon, King David’s son, in Proverbs 31:10-31. I’ll not read the whole text but do so as we move along and spy out God’s teachings for us today. In these passages God describes not any specific woman. In fact, I believe it’s almost impossible for anyone to find such a virtuous woman with all these qualities listed here in full display in the life. I rather believe God placed it here as a goal to which all women and men looking for the ideal woman can and should strive towards. In doing so, she will be become one in God’s eyes and that of a godly man. Now the first thing we find about this woman is…

1.  THE IDEAL WOMAN IS AS RARE AS A PERFECT DIAMOND ! (Prov. 31:10) – God says, Prov 31:10 (NLT)  Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is worth more than precious rubies.

Solomon was a man unfortunately filled with unbridled lust. He married multiple women and kept even more as his personal objects of sexual enjoyment. If any man was unworthy of the ideal woman it was he. However, in all his striving to find her, God never permitted him to do so. Yet, we can assume he became an expert in what she was to be. So Solomon writes with God divine inspirational approval that she is a “virtuous” woman. The Hebrew word used in the original text means much more than purity, rather “well endowed in every area of moral quality.” Indeed, God’s first quality of the Ideal woman is that she maintain herself with the highest morals. How sad these days this is almost extinct among the worldly women of the day. Morality is seen as something old-fashioned. Yet in God’s eyes, it is the highest virtue. Say friend if you are a parent, are you training your young girls, by example, first of all to be a woman of highest virtue beginning with her body? How do you allow her to dress, who do you allow her to date? As a father of five children, three of them girls, I knew the trial of rearing them in purity of body, soul, mind and spirit and I thank God He more than assisted me as I yielded that work to Him. Indeed, I and my wife had to first be an example of what they were to be, and following that we had to guide them, care for them, teach them, and show them the ways of God in all morality is the best and the most rewarding way to go.

On achieving that, they would follow in the steps ordered by the Lord. I thank God for my daughters, who have not let me down. Next, we find God says the second quality of an ideal woman is beyond moral virtues,

2.  THE IDEAL WOMAN IS RESOURCEFUL AND ALWAYS DEPENDABLE! (Prov. 31:11-12) 

Prov 31:11-12 (NLT)  Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. 12 She will not hinder him but help him all her life. 

Trustworthy and dependable! That’s a rare but valuable commodity today, especially in our humanity. Yet, God says that’s a virtue He looks for in the ideal woman. Poor King Solomon, he never found her, but he knew what he was looking for. Solomon played the fool, for he like his father married many women and kept even more as his sexual playmates. It’s inconceivable to me how Solomon could ever even understand what faithfulness and resourcefulness was with so many women in his life. As such he never had a woman whose love was personal, pure, passionate and praiseworthy. Yet God says, such a woman is one who is trustworthy first of all, in keeping herself for the one man to come into her life. Oh, he may never come, but still she keeps herself pure. For the husband in her life, she is resourceful and capable. Today the ideal woman, in the modern distorted mind, is one who abandons the home for the office and work world. Yet, when most woman do this, later in life, deep inside they feel a loss and a longing for what they missed – the joy of motherhood and family. Yes, God has put in the heart of every young girl and woman, the desire to be the wife of a good godly husband and the mother of many children. Yet we’ve burned out that desire on the surface and calloused women to think they must be like a man and compete with him in the area God gave him to labor and serve God. Now it’s not wrong for a woman to work outside the home, but it is wrong if that is her priority to the neglect of her home and family. The ideal woman according to God, is one who serves her husband and home for the glory of God. She finds her rest, comfort, peace and perfection right there!

Now third, God gives us more of the ideal for we see,

3.  THE IDEAL WOMAN IS ONE WHO DOESN’T SHUN HARD WORK (Prov. 31:16-19)

Prov 31:16-19 (NLT)  She goes out to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17 She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. 18 She watches for bargains; her lights burn late into the night. 19 Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber.

Today and in years past, many women are looking for the soft life, to be pampered, praised, and kept. Yet in God’s eyes such a woman is a little more than worthless! In Solomon’s language used here in the Bible text, we find that God says the ideal woman is one who works hard at what she does, and most of all it is to keep others rather than herself. She invests hers or her family’s money wisely; she was not afraid of having her fingers calloused, or her skin toughed by the sun or the spinning wheel. How many women today look for the soft life of ease, and until they get it they flit from one relationship to another. How sad, for they will never find the wealth and richness only doing God’s will in her life will bring. Such a woman who is married will bring her husband great riches, not only materially, but inwardly in his heart. In return, he will amply reward her for her hard work, her faithful labor and sacrifices. I thank God for my wife, whose heart has always been to serve others, especially myself and my family. Rearing five children, not having much money to do it through the years as a minister, made her very resourceful. She planted and harvested food where possible to save buying it commercially. She always put up a full winter’s supply of fruits and vegetables by canning and freezing. She learned to knit, crochet, darn and sew anything for the kids and for me. Why even before we married, while we dated, when she was sixteen years old, she knitted for me the most colorful, beautiful scarf a man could ever own. I still have it to this day. I thank God for my wife and her industriousness, her talents and hard work, her love of her family and her Lord Jesus Christ. We need to teach our young women that they will find their greatest happiness and satisfaction in life, not in others serving them, but in her serving God through the means of life God ordained for her and all women – the happiness of serving her home. Now fourthly we see more of the ideal woman. We see,

4.  THE IDEAL WOMAN IS FILLED WITH WISDOM FROM GOD (Prov. 31:26-27)

Prov 31:26-27 (NLT)  When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule when she gives instructions. 27 She carefully watches all that goes on in her household and does not have to bear the consequences of laziness.

You know today the one thing lacking in most circles of human relationships is God’s wisdom. What is wisdom? Well first, we find it comes only from God. An example is found in the Old Testament when God wanted the Tabernacle in the wilderness, built to God’s exquisite specifications. God especially endowed a man with wisdom and talent to do it. We read,

Exo 31:2-5 (NLT)  “Look, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence, and skill in all kinds of crafts. 4 He is able to create beautiful objects from gold, silver, and bronze. 5 He is skilled in cutting and setting gemstones and in carving wood. Yes, he is a master at every craft!

Yes, God wants to give the ideal woman special wisdom, ability, skills and the “know-how” to adequately serve her husband, home and family. And, when she gets this gifting from God, when she asks for it, she will be a woman who is always dependable and right. I delight to say to my wife, “You were right, dear.” That’s not an admission I am wrong again. It is the highest compliment to say she had God’s leading and wisdom to know the right thing to do, say or respond to a delicate situation or need. In the Bible God says He created humanity as two separate and differing human beings. We often think of God as a man, and in many ways the male portion of humanity is outwardly seen in God, but remember God created mankind – male and FEMALE! Where did the female, her virtues and beauty inner and outer come from? It came from God Himself. It is not wrong therefore to say all that a woman is, is a picture of God! Yes, God is female too! Together a man and a woman make up the whole of God’s nature, attributes, character, and being. Oh how I thank God for creating the woman! She is everything I as a man am not and can never be. Yet, when a man and a woman come together and pledge their lives and hearts in the monogamy of a lifetime marriage through thick and thin – something happens to both of them. They meld together and become one in body, soul and spirit! Thus they become the real essence of humanity. The Ideal woman is one who seeks God first, and all His virtues He has promised to give her for her life, ministry, home and happiness. Now lastly, Solomon gives us one more criteria of the Ideal woman. It is,

5.  THE IDEAL WOMAN REACHES A MEASURE OF PERFECTION & PRAISE (Prov. 31:29-31)

Prov 31:29-31 (NLT)  “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised. 31 Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

The secret key for any woman to become the ideal woman begins with her personal quest to turn her life over to God and love Him most of all. Now in this Age of Grace the Bible tells us God has revealed Himself to us in the second Person of the Triune God who created all things. Yes, that Person is Jesus Christ. Today when we say we worship, praise, adore and honor God we must do it by giving all this to Jesus Christ. He is the Creator, He is the Sustainer, He is the Redeemer, and our Lord. Listen to the wonderful Scriptures that calls all mankind to praise Him.

Col 1:16-18 (NLT)  Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. 17 He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is the head of the church, which is his body. He is the first of all who will rise from the dead, so he is first in everything.

Rom 9:5 (NLT)  “… Christ himself was a Jew as far as his human nature is concerned. But he is God, who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

The ideal woman according to Solomon was one who first learned to “fear” God. That means she devoted her heart to learn all she could about her Creator. She then went on to serve Him, love Him, and greatly respect Him by listening to His Words and hiding them in her heart. Such a woman is indeed the greatest of all! So Solomon ends his treatise of the IDEAL WOMAN and says,

Prov 31:31 (NLT)  Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

Yes reward her for all she has done. So I say to you today listening friend, man or woman, is there a woman in your life to be so honored? How about your very own mother? How about your wife? How about your daughters? Now in America we set aside a special day for woman called Mother’s Day. You notice I didn’t give this message for that day in May. I believe a godly woman should be honored every day beginning with their wonderful work in the home.

Now the best way we can honor such an ideal woman is to love the Lord she loves, and to show her you follow in her steps. Have you turned your heart over to Jesus Christ? Have you asked Him for His great wisdom, strength, ability, fortitude to carry on in life in spite of the difficult circumstances and consequences life can bring?

God is waiting patiently for all His creation to come to Him and seek Him. The Bible says God spoke to Solomon and said,

1 Chr 28:9 (NLT)  “And Solomon, my son, get to know the God of your ancestors. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and with a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and understands and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

Yes, early on we should all be determined to seek the God of creation, but it’s never too late to turn your heart and life over to Jesus Christ. He calls and today is calling you too.

·         Radio talk #0902

·         Broadcast date: March 03, 2002

·         Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator

·         Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast

·         Address: P.O. Box 40133 Grand Junction, CO 81504

The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 22 years, and serves as General Director.

These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them. Also available are actual radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of recent messages is available upon request also.