The Perfect Helper

The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 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 rib 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. The man said,”This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman, ‘for she was taken out of man.”That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Gen 2:18-24


Whenever I read the passage above I always think about how difficult it must have been for Adam to come up with a name for all those creatures. As the parent of two children and the owner of various pets in the past, finding the perfect name is a monumental task. The right name says who we are, where we come from, what we aspire to be. Image giving every living thing on this planet a unique name; now imagine doing it all by yourself. Thankfully God with all his infinite wisdom soon realized that man was not meant to walk the world alone and gave Adam a helper.

As husbands and father’s we so often find ourselves caught up in the tasks of daily life, that we often forget this last part. Eve wasn’t created so Adam could have a hot meal after a long day at the office. That rib wasn’t taken from Adam’s side so there would be someone to drop one kid off at soccer, the other at dance, and make sure they both get their homework done before bed. Eve wasn’t there to grant Adam his every wish. Adam and Eve were a team. They tilled the hard soil together; faced the cruel world as one; and stood side by side as every parent’s nightmare of losing their children came true.

As you read this no doubt you have discovered today is Mother’s Day. Today we have a chance to thank our wives and mothers for their never ending commitment to their families. I can’t help but wonder why though? Man and woman are to be of one flesh; we are to be together working towards a life lived for God; we are to share in the encouragement and upbringing of our children; Husbands, knowing all of this why do we often fail to do our fair share? Why do we need a special day to say thank you, when we should be saying it all year long. This year instead of celebrating her, think about the passage above and make a commitment to help-her.