The Creation of Eve by Michelangelo (1508-1512), The Sistine Chapel ~ The Vatican
Five Aspects of Woman Series ~ Post #5
The next aspect of woman as identified by Barbara Mouser, after Mistress of the Domain, is that of "Helper-Completer". This may be the most difficult aspect that women today, even Christian women, need to come to terms with. The idea that woman was made from the man and for the sake of the man is, to say the least, extremely counter-culture.
I hope you will stay with me here while we take a look at this Biblical concept. On Day 6 of Creation Week, the first two chapters of the book of Genesis tell us that God made the first man, Adam, as well as all the animals and birds of the sky. He then paraded each one before Adam's eyes and commissioned him to give each one its name. In this way, God showed Adam that there was no other creation like him...no one to come along beside him to help him in his work.
"Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper suitable for him." (Gen. 2:18) The Scripture goes on to tell that God caused a deep sleep to fall over Adam, and God Himself performed surgery by opening up Adam's side, taking out a rib, and closing up the flesh.
We aren't told whether Adam remained in his sleep while God fashioned the woman from his rib, but we know that at some point, God Himself brought woman to the man. Adam then said, "This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." (Gen. 2:23)
Personal photo of display at the Creation Museum, Petersburg, KY, 2010
While the man was created from the earth and for the earth, to till it and make it productive, woman was created from the flesh and bone of the man, was brought to the man, to help and complete the man. Everything else that God had created, He pronounced it to be "good", except for the aloneness of the man, which He pronounced "not good". God did not make a "mistake" when he made man without a suitable helper...timing is everything! He intentionally created woman in the way He did to model the respective roles of each gender. Man was created first because he is the head and leader, but man needs woman to support him and provide him fellowship. "For indeed, man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake." (I Cor. 11:9)
Woman was created as a Divine gift to the man. She was created to be his help-mate and encourager. While usually the man is the "bread-winner", the woman often protects the family assets. She bears his children and nutures them. While men are typically task-oriented, women are more relationship-oriented. Men are by nature risk-takers, while women are security-conscious. The list can go on and on, as the classic differences in the natures of the sexes are well known.
None of this says that the woman is inferior in status to the man. In fact, I like to say that in all of God's Creation, the Woman is His Crown Jewel! She was the last of His creative acts, and the accomplishment that brought the Creator to rest and satisfaction.
The Bible presents the complimentary truths that women are at the same time equal to the man and yet the man is the head of the woman. The Five Aspects of Woman study uses these Scripture verses to illustrate this:
Gen. 1:26; 2:18:
*man and woman were both made in God's image (equality)
*woman was made from the man and for him (man's headship)
I Cor. 11:3, 9, I Cor. 11:11-12:
*both dependent on each other (equality)
*woman was created for the man (man's headship)
I Peter 3:7:
*man and woman are joint heirs of the grace of life (equality)
*woman is the weaker vessel (man's headship)
Special note: Most men and women have a strong desire for marriage, though we may spend a good portion of our lives being single, or some people may never marry. This does not change the created purposes of the feminine and masculine characteristics or attributes. Nor does it say that each and every person should be married. If you are a single woman, you can still recognize that you have a freedom in your singleness to use the gifts that are fundmental to who you are as a woman. That would include a natural ability to be relational, to be a helper-completer for many people, to use your insights and unique gifts to complement those of others.
If you ARE married, how does your husband feel your support? How are you demonstrating your respect for his leadership in your life? These questions were posed to me in my workbook when I took this course 10 years ago, and my children had not yet left the nest. This is how I answered:
"I try to keep things orderly at home and to keep the family relationships/schedules under control so that he doesn't have to be so side-tracked and can concentrate on doing his main job. When he is out of town on business, we stay in touch by phone or fax. (Today it would be email!) When he is sick or hurt physically or emotionally, I am his confidant and advocate. We try to eat together as a family as often as possible, and we don't eat until he gets home and to the table, as a rule. He also gets passed the food dishes first, and is usually the one to ask the blessing. This builds "oneness" because we are trying to demonstrate (to our children) that we are in agreement with his position of family headship."
Next ~ Helper-Completer, or Ambiguous Heart?
