The Theology of a Rib: Understanding God’s Design for Equality

I’ve been thinking about this a lot, especially in light of the numerous excellent articles about shifting our mindset.

There’s one mindset, in particular, I want to call attention to.

On the surface, there’s technically nothing wrong with this layout. But, alas, we are human, and humans love to apply “value” where God did not.

Let’s look at Genesis 2:21–22

“So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.”

Then let’s walk back to Genesis 1:26 for a second.

“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

Emphasis on that they part.

Men and women were created equal and given shared dominion over the earth.

Ever wonder why a rib?

Of all the bones in the body, he picked the rib.

The rib is on the side.

God didn’t take a bone from Adam’s foot; He purposely pulled the bone from his side. That symbolizes partnership and unity, not a hierarchy to be trampled on.

Here is my point of view, perspective, mindset, or whatever you’d like to call it on this situation that I want to share.

As a mother, I can tell you from experience, this is also a good way to look at this.

There is such joy in giggling and conspiring with your child to pull off a surprise for their father, grandparents, or best friend, and they see and understand more than you will ever realize.

You will share moments with them when they come up gently next to you and support you, usually in secret. A child’s hug when times are tough is all it takes to hold onto hope. I think parents would be left speechless at all the little things that go unseen that their children do in the effort to help their parent(s).

No one was ever placed under another in the way humanity has interpreted and abused.

Humanity built that chart of hierarchy and fed it to the world for so long that it’s gone beyond damaging families and Christianity; it’s fractured them. Turn on the news, and you’ll see the proof.

There was never a bone taken out of Adam’s foot.

It’s time to change the mindset and rewrite the chart the way God intended it.

© Jane Isley

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