A help meet for man

We live in a very competitive era. Who can be better at something than their neighbor? Who can walk away with the most to show? Who is the best?

The topic of such competition can vary widely, from sports, to cooking, races, to innovation. But today I'm going to focus on the age old question- "Who's better- man or woman?"

I'm sure as you read that, an answer automatically pops into your head. Whether it be male or female, I'm sure you also have validation for that opinion.

"Well," you may reason, "Men are naturally stronger than women, so obviously they are superior."

Or, you may think something like this,

"Women can give birth! Let's see a man handle that!"

Both thoughts are valid opinions, and have some pretty convincing evidence to support them. We can all think of examples of heavy weight male champions; and we have all heard of the pain statistics that a woman goes through during birth.

But let's take it back a little bit... Okay, back a lot... Back to biblical times, and creation in general.

In the book of Abraham we read, "And the Gods said: Let us make an help meet for the man, for it is not good that the man should be alone, therefore we will form an help meet for him." (5:14)

Ah, ha! There's proof! Woman was created to help man! God said it Himself!


For almost my entire life, I've read that verse and made a conjoined word of "Help-meet." I figured it was biblical language and so I just formed the obvious definition as "a person who helps" and continued on in my studying.

Recently, I was surprised to discover a definition for "meet" in the Bible Dictionary. "Meet: Fitting, proper, qualified, suitable." 

Wait, what?

Look at those perfect words. Fitting. Proper. Qualified. and Suitable.

All of those words are synonymous with equal.

For something to fit, it has to be equal to the corresponding object. Not too big, not too small. Equal. If not, there can be no bond formed! It will be uneven, broken, or incorrect.

All of these defining words show the harmonious nature of both man and woman.

Yes, man was created first, but soon after, woman was created in the equal place by his side. Not in the front or behind him.

I've heard it said before that there was a specific purpose to God taking a rib to create Eve. (Note: The following is opinion alone, not doctrine.) He could have taken virtually any part of Adam to create her, and yet he chose a rib. Why? To demonstrate from the very beginning that she would be at his side. He didn't take from the head or from the feet, suggesting either that she was more or less important, but something that would place her forever and equally next to him.