Male and Female: God's Plan

I remember having this thought years ago: There are only two kinds of people in the world! Male and female!

I know, I know. That's not an earth-shattering revelation. It's not something news worthy or even new. It's actually a very silly thought but I had it nonetheless. Because I was truly, truly astounded by the simplicity of that statement. With all the millions and billions of people living on earth, from different countries, speaking different languages, with different colors of skin and physical features, there are actually only two true differences. 

Male and Female.

I find that rather fascinating, actually. It begs the questions:

Why did God only create two genders? Why did God create genders at all?

To find the answers, you have to go to the beginning. Genesis 1:26-27 says:

"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

The story continues in Genesis 2, with verse 18 saying, "The Lord God said, 'It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

None of the creatures God had created thus far were suitable to be Adam's helper. Not a monkey. Not a horse. Not even "man's best friend." 

"The Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man and he brought her to the man." (v. 22)

I positively love that God brought the woman to Adam! God didn't just drop her in the Garden and let "fate" decide if they were meant to be together. God had a specific plan in mind. A specific purpose for creating them male and female and bringing them together. We already know that God cared about Adam's loneliness--"It is not good for man to be alone"--but obviously pro-creation wasn't going to happen if Adam and Eve didn't become "one flesh" as Genesis 2:24 says. Do you know what that verse means? It means Adam and Eve had sex in the Garden, folks, and it was okay with God! Why? Because that was part of the plan! God's perfect, free-from-sin-and-shame plan for sex between a man and a woman. 

But one chapter later we see everything change. Sin entered the perfect, shame-free world. Man forgot Who was in charge and did things their own way. They didn't acknowledge God the Creator. They didn't believe that there is a greater plan and purpose for our existence than merely satisfying our selfish wants and desires. Every day people twist and distort God's plan. Or ignore it all together. 

The recent controversy over Chaz Bono's appearance on Dancing with the Stars is in the news. I don't have anything against Chaz. In fact, my heart aches for her. And I do say "her" because she is, was, and always will be a her. No amount of surgery to remove, add or inject will ever change that. God created Chastity Sun Bono as a woman and she will die a woman. And that's the simple truth Chaz is fighting so hard against. That God created her a woman and not a man. I can't answer the question of why Chaz wants to be a man. I have no clue what her life has been like, the influences that played a role in forming who she is. I haven't walked a mile in her shoes and I have no business casting stones in her direction. 

But what I do know is this: "male and female He created them" for a reason. 

And you know what God thinks about His creation?

"God saw all that he had made"--including a little girl named Chastity Bono--"and it was very good." (Gen. 1:31)

God created you, whether male or female, for a reason. But if God is not Lord and King in your life, you will have totally missed the whole purpose of your existence. 

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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are:

USA, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Ukraine, France, Canada, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, Romania