The ideal woman
“I think [Ruth] is a picture of the ideal woman in the Old Testament. Four things characterize the ideal woman. Faith in God that goes beyond and sees beyond the present bitter experiences with God. Freedom, secondly, from securities and comforts of home and family and this life. Third, courage to venture into the unknown and into the strange. And fourth, radical commitment in the relationships that God has appointed.” — John Piper
I gotta have my orange juice. 
this sounds more like a characterization of the ideal person.
it seems to me that the ideal woman should have all of those aspects that piper lists but will manifest them in a uniquely feminine way, with grace and submissiveness (where appropriate).
i need to think some more on how that would look in practice and how it would be different for men. and don’t get me wrong, i think he’s right to use ruth as an example; she’d still fit whatever revision we could make to his statement.
paul
November 3, 2006 at 9:23 am
Thanks! If you listen to Piper’s message you’ll see that he’s drawing this out as an observation on Ruth’s character, especially the way that she clings to God in faith and to Naomi in practice; he has particular feminine characteristics in mind. So as you indicate, these principles will work themselves out somewhat differently for men as for women. But they are something we should all seek to walk in. Thanks for that reminder.
Scott Moonen
November 4, 2006 at 4:46 am