Ugh!

Friends,

Some of you may have noticed that it has been a while since I have posted anything. A new career, the attempt to write a book, church-searching and planning a wedding has taken my focus away from blogging. However, there have been a series of events this week that have forced me to break the silence. I have two, major ideas I would like to present. Hopefully, I can successfully tie them together. If not, this will simply be two ideas under one post. We’ll see what happens.

During the Legacy Men’s Conference this year, I had the awesome opportunity to listen to Pastor Steve Kelly of Wave Church in Virginia Beach, VA. He said something that really caught my attention. He said, “God is all-sufficient, but He is not all we need.” This idea tends to refute all of the worship songs we sing in church doesn’t it? I have to admit, I was almost offended when he said this. It sounded borderline blasphemous. For some reason, the comment made its way to an old, dusty shelf in my mind and resided there for several months. A few days ago, I pulled it off the shelf and considered the comment again. I discovered Pastor Kelly was absolutely right.

God is, undoubtedly all-sufficient. But He is not all we need. What we need is people in our lives to help us out. Although God is not all we need, He provides these needs (people) for us.

But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches and glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (KJV)

In this verse, Paul recognizes that God, though all sufficient, is not all we need. He supplies our needs according to His kingdom.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18 (NIV)

From the beginning of time, God acknowledged the importance of human relationship and the need for spiritual partners.

This week, I heard a colleague say, “I’ve really backslid, but I don’t need to go to church.” I was dumbfounded. Admittedly, going to church doesn’t make you a [better] Christian, but the accountability and act of placing yourself in the presence of followers is important.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV)

Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. Matthew 18:19 (NIV)

Calling the twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. Mark 6:7 (NIV)

Am I getting through to any of you? The number two holds power in Scripture. It is not coincidence.

As I was speaking to another friend this week about her and her husband's spiritual life, she replied, “I don’t need a man to seek Jesus - I can do that on my own.” She’s right, she doesn’t need a husband, significant other, etc. to seek Jesus, but it is indeed God’s design that husbands be a spiritual leader for their wives. People and relationship are essential to walk closer with God.

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or turn back from you. Where you go I will go and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. Ruth 1:16-18 (NIV)

Did God ever deal with Ruth? No! He blessed her for being so steadfast and faithful! If Ruth would have said, “I’ll just do it my own,” she would never have met Boaz. People and relationships are needed to get to Christ. When we believe and get into agreement with God, he’ll make sure those people are supplied to us. This brings me to my second point.

I admire the independence of some women. However, I’ve noticed that it is getting a little extreme. This over compensated behavior is starting to sabotage society. The event is a vicious cycle that is corroding the differences between genders.

God did create man and woman equal. We were created by a perfect, unchanging God in His own image.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 (NIV)

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 (NIV)

This being said, God created us equal but different. Matthew Henry said it best. “Eve was not taken out of Adam’s head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him.” This is exactly how I love my wife-to-be.

Chapter seven of Joshua Harris’ book, Boy Meets Girl is entitled, “If boys would be men, would girls be ladies?” It beautifully illustrates God’s intended roles of the sexes.

Right now you might be asking yourself, “Why is he making such a big deal out of this?” Allow me to share with you something that happened to me yesterday.

I went to Whataburger to pick up some food for Janell and myself. As I arrived to get my number 5 with jalapenos, I observed a couple leaving the building. The woman opened the door (of the building) for her husband. Hmm… As they approached their car, she opened the passenger door for her husband. He climbed in. She walked around the car, let herself in and drove away. What is that? I was shocked and appalled! How are men supposed to practice servant leadership when this gross display of role-reversals exists?

If men aren’t going to open car doors or pull out chairs, they’re too immature to be a spiritual leader. It is our job as men to honor women as a creation of the most-high God.

Women – you’re not off the hook. If a woman takes it upon herself to do these things, you can’t complain that chivalry is dead. You’re the one holding the murder weapon! Give men the opportunity to be servants.

I know this sounds old-fashioned. That’s the problem. It only sounds old-fashioned because we have dismissed so many values. This is only one of many. The dismissal of said values is the reason why younger generations are not only responding to the gospel at an alarmingly low rate, but have no respect or comprehension of how to be men and women. We have to set the example!

My point? God is not all we need. He supplies them through people and relationship. However, we have a spiritual and social responsibility to fulfill our roles as men and women.

Photo Credit: http://www.bagofnothing.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/weirdweddingphotos.jpeg