[From the archives.]
Back in college I had a particularly painful break-up.
It wasn’t painful for her. She told me we were not going out any more and then she started dating another guy. Or she started dating the other guy and then told me we were done.
I’m not really sure of the chronology.
How did I respond? Perhaps not so surprisingly, I wrote about it.
Women! Who needs them? Not me. All they do is take your heart and wad it up into a little ball and throw it on the floor and stomp on it. Well, you can try that with some other poor sap, but don’t try it around me. I’m done with women.
I was dating someone new within a month.
God’s Plan Includes Women? Who Knew?
God spent six days creating everything, and repeatedly pronounced every day’s creation to be good. At the end, he looked on all he had made and said it was very good. It’s a bit surprising to read then:
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18, emphasis added.)
Something in all that was very good was not good? Odd, that. But God knew what to do.
So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:21-22.)
He made a companion for the man. Did you notice that God did not make another man, a buddy that Adam could pal around with? Good thing, too, because I imagine a world full of men without women would look like the campfire scene from Blazing Saddles.
All of creation needed a woman
Here’s the thing. I don’t think God created Eve solely for Adam’s benefit, that women are here just so men can marry them. I think God created them male and female in his own image (Genesis 1:27) because it takes men and women together to be the complete image bearers of God. There is something about women that reflects God in ways that men don’t and vice versa. Adam wasn’t the only one missing out before God created Eve. All of Creation was incomplete up to her arrival.
So who needs women? We all do.
Who needs men? We all do.
And most importantly, who needs the God who created both women and men?
We all do.
***
Any movie directed by Mel Brooks is awesome.
“I think God created them male and female in his own image (Genesis 1:27) because it takes men and women together to be the complete image bearers of God.”
In terms of procreation, I think this is uncontroversial. Where I’ve seen pushback is from some long time single Christians.
Other point of view – not that into Mel Brooks’ films – except maybe The Producers, i.e., “Springtime with Hitler” singing and dancing and such. Satire to the nth°.
However, this post (again, TF), is awesome. Bravo.
Thanks, JYJ!
This post isn’t about the marriage relationship, though, but about all of creation. It wasn’t “very good” until women entered the scene according to Genesi2.
Notably, on mission teams, it seems more effective to have both genders, and a multi-generational group. And then stick to the mission. When the genders get side-tracked with each other, like the title of your blog, derailment happens, often and quickly.
So, the need for women, to complete the mission.
Can’t fathom the all-male leadership model completing the mission.
Case in point, the historical lessons of the recent film, “Hidden Figures”.
Thanks for reposting this, Tim. I especially appreciate the emphasis on God’s image being shown in women and men together.
I’m glad it still resonates, Jeannie.
This is the most heart warming take on the creation of Eve, and woman’s place in the scheme of things I’ve ever read. Makes me extra glad to be a woman when seen through your eyesTim.
Man and woman expressing the wholeness of Gods character…….His image……rich food for thought indeed.
It truly is rich and heartwarming to see how God wants to bring his creation to completion for the good of all of us.
“Makes me extra glad to be a woman…”
Unfortunately, how many women in the world can actually say this…?
Yeah, when I kvetch about still being single and someone gives me that oh-so-sweet smile and says, “Well, God is all you need,” this is what I come back with. There Adam was, in fellowship with God that hadn’t yet been broken by sin, and yet God found it “NOT GOOD”–the very first ‘not good’ in history– that man should be alone. What if even God doesn’t think God is all I need?
The sweet smiles turn rather sour when I point this out . . . 😉
“What if even God doesn’t think God is all I need?”
That is the best question on the single/married issue I’ve ever heard, Mary Anne.