LHM Daily Devotions - Differences and Similarities

"Differences and Similarities"

Oct. 2, 2018

Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone."

~ Genesis 2:18 (ESV)

"Girls are weird," complained a young man I know. "Why do they do such strange things?"

"I'll never understand guys," said a young woman. "It's like they come from another planet."

You've probably heard comments like these. Whether you're relaxing with friends or talking with family, the subject of how men and women relate to one another comes up a lot. It is the source of endless teasing and thousands of jokes. And that's not all bad if the joking is done with love and respect.

When God created men and women, He intended them to be both different and similar to each other. Together they would carry the image of God who made them. Together they would form the human race, living to the glory of God and to their own delight and happiness. Both their similarities and their differences would become reason to thank and praise God.

And so, God took steps, way back at the beginning, to be sure men and women would appreciate each other. Have you ever noticed that God gives Adam the job of naming all the animals just before God creates Eve? That meant Adam had to go right through the animal creation, getting an up-close-and-personal look at all the great things God had created -- and then realize that, no matter how wonderful the whales and kangaroos might be, they simply weren't enough like him. Adam looked at everything, but he couldn't find a match for himself.

At that point, and no earlier, God put Adam into a deep sleep. Then He created Eve from part of Adam's own body. When Adam woke and met another human being for the first time, he was stunned, amazed, overjoyed. Here, at last, was what he'd been waiting for: someone who was similar and different at the same time. And he expressed it: "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man" (Genesis 2:23).

What a wonderful God we have, who teaches us to appreciate one another, both in similarities and differences! And not only in the case of men and women. We can see that thoughtfulness even in the way God chose to save us: by entering the human race as a newborn human baby, one of us.

Why do that? For many reasons, no doubt, but one of them has to do with differences and similarities. In Jesus our Savior, the incredibly powerful and awesome God has come close to us, has become like us. Now we see His differences from us, but we also see His similarities. As we see Jesus living, talking, serving, suffering, dying, and rising in the pages of the Gospels, we can now relate to Him, instead of just being scared. We can trust in Him. We can love Him. We can rejoice in God our Savior, who has made us His forever.

THE PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, that You have made Yourself like us when You came to save us. Help me to love and appreciate You, and also to appreciate the people around me. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
"Girls are weird," complained a young man I know.