Steppin' On Toes

I love to dance and am fairly good at it, but if I were to tango with John Eldridge, I'd step on his toes...on purpose!!

Apparently, Mr. Eldridge believes (and perpetuates) that commonly held worldview in which women are in desperate need of a man to come rescue them.

This is what I have been told, at least. I suppose to be fair, I should confess that I've never read his popular book, "Wild At Heart", but a friend read it and told me that...

1) All men want an adventure.
2) All men want a battle.
3) All men want to rescue a "beauty".

There are many things I would like to say, such as, "Gosh it's too bad that 2 of the 3 desires in every man's heart will not be met in heaven, since I suppose we won't have battles or be in need of rescuing. Sounds like hell for them..."

I could go on...and on and on...but let me focus on the third thing that men want - to rescue a beauty.

Just for fun, let's take a look at Genesis. Listen to the story. Man was in the Garden with all of creation, but he was lonely. No animal could provide the intimacy he needed, and oddly enough God chose not meet that need personally either. Instead, God, the ultimate Rescuer, provides a "helper" for him.

Now let's just take a minute and look at the word "helper". This word is used 21 times in the Old Testament. Twice it is used in Genesis, to refer to the woman. Twice it refers to a military ally, and SEVENTEEN times, it refers to God. "God is my ever present help in time of trouble." Exact same word, y'all. Let's pause right here and take a look at the situation...

Who is in need of help? Who's in need of "rescuing?"

Ok. I was just checking...

But now let's continue. Next to the word "helper" is a Hebrew word that is best translated, "equal to", though often translated "suitable". In other words, the word "helper" by itself, would have implied superiority - namely the superiority of women - but by adding the words "equal to" the writer of Genesis establishes the man and woman as equals.

We have been created to long for each other - to long for true intimacy with each other - and both men and women long for this. If this is what Mr. Eldridge is implying when he suggests that in the heart of every man, there is a desire to "rescue a beauty", then I applaud him...but who are we kidding?

We all know that's not what he meant.

I suppose my (hear me - a "beauty", female, woman, etc...) new "battle" will be to tackle the lies interwoven in this book in order to "rescue" beautiful women and men from silliness...Wow! What an "adventure"!

Be careful when you "tango" with me, Mr. Eldridge!

posted by Headless-in-GR @ 5/05/2004 02:15:00 PM