Genesis 2:18-25 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” 19 So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. 20 He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.
21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s rib and closed up the opening. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.
23 “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,' because she was taken from ‘man.’”
Animal relationships can't take the place of human relationships.
That's kind of a "duh" statement for most people. Yes, pets are fun and we love them. Horses are great workers and companions for those who have farms or cattle ranches. There is nothing wrong with loving animals or being close to animals, but don't neglect your relationships with people... especially that of your spouse.
I cannot say for certain why such a seemingly obvious idea made it's way into this portion of scripture. Why would God make it a point to specify that He brought all the animals to Adam to name and none of them were suitable helpmates for him? God has a purpose for every part of scripture: the "boring" genealogies that most people skip over because they can't pronounce most of the names anyway, the prophecies about nations that were destroyed, Song of Solomon- as awkward as it can be, and this portion of scripture...
I think one potential reason why it is highlighted is because people don't always want to take the time and effort to make their human relationships, namely, there marriages, worthwhile. Marriage is hard. You disagree, fight and annoy each other. You hurt each other's feelings on accident and on purpose. Sin becomes more noticeable, and that's the hardest part of all. Marriage takes more work than training a dog or feeding a bird, and it can be a billion times more gratifying because of it.
So, not only is an animal not suitable for a man, but a woman is. A woman is the perfect help mate for a man... And Adam was thrilled about it! He even made up a song about it! Because, if you read this passage in the original Hebrew, you will find that he sang to her, "At last, this one is bone from my bone and flesh from my flesh. She will be called woman because she was taken from man." Okay, not the most romantic song ever written, but at least he gave it a shot. I mean, come on, talk about the pressure! He not only had to name her the moment he saw her, but she was also the first woman he had ever laid eyes on... and he had to marry her right away! If I was in his place, I think the most I could muster up is, "Uh, hey, I'm Adam. I guess we're going to get married in a few minutes. I'm going to call you woman too, if you're cool with that." At least he sang it!
But in all seriousness, with all the communication issues men and women have with each other, how can putting them together in marriage, and calling it perfect actually be the case? It's almost like a cruel joke.
On more than one occasion, my husband and I have been in complete agreement on something, but argued about it because we thought the other person was saying the opposite. Men and women just think differently and you can work through it. It's an obstacle, but it's not insurmountable. (Check out "For Women Only" to get an inside look at a man's mind and get your husband "For Men Only" so he can understand you better too.)
In a previous post I wrote about how women tend to be controlling, manipulative, and nagging, and I challenged us to start encouraging and speaking with grace and kindness instead. Women were made to be gentle and compassionate, so when we are what we were made to be and we do what we were made to do, fill the role we were supposed to fill in taking care of our families and helping our husbands, we are the perfect match. It's when we let our sin take control of us that we see our marriages suffer. Focus on your grace and compassion, ladies. Look for ways you can help without enabling or demeaning or controlling. And watch how compatible you really are with your husband and realize that a woman truly is just right for a man.
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