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 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." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Suddenly I was struck with the beauty of God's plan that I wouldn't be alone. It hit me that a big part of my purpose, as a man, and a big part of Shirley's purpose, as a woman, is that we would help each other...complete each other.
In our culture we tend to measure purpose and fulfillment independently...that is, every person is to find his or her own mountain to climb, frontier to face, empire to establish. A great deal of emphasis is placed on each of us finding ourselves through education, career, professions, prosperity on a separate basis. All that is great but...
What I find lacking these days is a simple appreciation for the profound purpose we find simply as men, and simply as women, in helping one another. Marriage is the one permanent relationship in our lives where the differences between the genders are perfectly resolved in every important dimension: physically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually.
I realize that my wife is my God-appointed helper and I am determined to rely more upon her help. As men, I think we frustrate our wives when we don't allow them to help...with decisions, with problems, with fears. I thank the Lord for the one He formed to stand by my side!
blessings,
Rob Smith
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