Hell Hath No Fury...

A short while ago, I heard a story about a husband who was trying to protect his wife and kids. They were in a dangerous situation and the man, being a good husband, defended the family against the attackers. Good for him. But as I was listening to this story, I remember thinking, "We'll I'd be out there with him! Who'd be protecting him while he's protecting me?"
I know I'm not very strong and don't have many street skills but I'm scrappy! Something within me thought, given that situation, I'd be right up in the mix protecting my man, screamin' "I gotcha back, baby!"
(Picture, a younger, thinner, whiter Madea.) Kinda of a silly thought huh? I've always felt this way, but society seems to think it's foolish so I never said anything. I guess if a man is trying to protect me, I should let him, - play the role of the damsel in distress for once in my life. Right? Ummm…. Maybe not. I just might be more feminine than you think.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say there is something instinctive about women fighting on behalf their loved ones. Now of course we recognize any woman would fight to protect her children. Don't mess with momma bear's cubs, - we all know that. But a mate?

Well check this out. In the book of Deuteronomy, in the list of family regulations, there is this rule for the Israelites:
"…If two Israelite men are fighting and the wife of one tries to rescue her husband by grabbing the testicles of the other man, her hand must be cut off without pity…."
Deut 25:12
(I swear it's in the bible. You can't make this stuff up!) So you realize this had to have been an issue if they were making a rule against it. Right?

So I'm not alone in feeling this way? Oh no no. In the book I'm currently devouring, Captivating, by John and Stasi Eldredge they point out an interesting fact about the creation of Eve:

…When God creates Eve, he calls her an ezer kenegdo. "It is not good for the man to be alone, I shall make him [an ezer kenegdo]" (Gen 2:18 ALTER). Hebrew scholar Robert Alter, who has spent years translating the book of Genesis, says that this phrase is "notoriously difficult to translate." The various attempts we have in English are "helper" or "companion" or the notorious "help meet." Why are these translations so incredibly wimpy, boring, flat…disappointing? What is a helpmeet anyway? What little girl dances through the house singing "One day I shall be a help meet?" Companion? A dog can be a companion. Helper? Sounds like Hamburger Helper. Alter is getting close when he translates it "sustainer beside him."
The word ezer is used only twenty other places in the entire Old Testament. And in every other instance the person being described is God himself, when you need him to come through for you desperately.

There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens to help
you…Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He
is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. (Duet.33: 26,29)

I lift my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the
LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Ps. 121: 1-2)

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress: may the name of the God of
Jacob protect you. May he send you help. (Ps.20 1-2)

We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our Help and our shield (Ps. 33:20)

O house of Israel, trust in the LORD- he is their help and shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD- he is their help and shield.
You who fear him, trust in the LORD, - he is their help and shield (Ps. 115:9-11)

Most of the contexts are life and death, by the way, and God is your only hope. Your ezer. If he is not there beside you…you are dead. A better translation therefore of ezer would be…"lifesaver." Kenegdo means along side, or opposite to, a counterpart.

You see, the life God calls us to is not a safe life. Ask Joseph, Abraham, Moses, Deborah, Ester- any of the friends of God from the Old Testament. Ask Mary and Lazarus; ask peter, James, and John; Ask Pricilla and Aquila- any of the friends of God in the New Testament. God calls us to a life involving frequent risks and many dangers. Why else would we need him to be our ezer? You don't need a lifesaver if your mission is to be a couch potato. You need an ezer when your life is in constant danger…
…That longing in the heart of a woman to share life together as a great adventure-that comes straight from the heart of God, who also longs for this. He does not want to be an option in our lives. He does not want to be an appendage, a tagalong. Neither does any woman. God is essential. He wants us to need him-desperately. Eve is essential. She has an irreplaceable role to play. And so you'll see that women are endowed with fierce devotion, and ability to suffer great hardships, a vision to make the world a better place. (P.31-32)


Oh yea! I loved reading that. I've always wanted to be girly. I guess I have been all along! ;0)