Adam, Eve and PACS

PACSman:  The very few people who know me know well know that for the past decade plus I’ve run a sports ministry. Now before you fall over yourself laughing at me being involved in either sports or a ministry know that it wasn’t my idea but God’s.

I was just minding my own business one day over a decade ago when out of the blue a voice echoed in my ears saying two simple words - “It’s time.” My immediate reaction was “Huh?” Am I late for a very important date like the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland or what?  Who is this? No answer.

I said out to no one in particular out loud “Look Jack, don’t waste my time” and then fell back to sleep….

”It’s time” came the booming voice again…

I looked around expecting to see either George Burns or Morgan Freeman in my bedroom, then said ”Nah..no way….can’t be.”

Long story short, after much bantering back and forth with “the voice” aka “Him,” I caved in and took what was supposed to be a two-day job helping out at soccer camp at my old church. I thought nothing of it until I watched my role in sports ministry over the next several months and years increase dramatically.

Was that what He meant by “It’s time”?  Who knows. All I know is every Friday night now I oversee 80-90 young adults playing soccer and have helped establish several sports ministries at various churches when I’m not playing PACSMan. I could care less about denominational theology - that’s for the elders to address cuz in my way of thinking it’s all one God - but it’s been a really interesting trip so far. I’m glad I came to my senses listening to the voices in my head because the reality is you can’t win with someone who knows the outcome of something before it even happens….. although God knows I sure tried.

So where am I going with all this? I have a client who calls me an “enigma.” He says that I’m a guy who could make a sailor blush with some of my comments and analogies, yet is surprised that I am one who also studies the Word. “It’s all about balance,” I said to him as we got to talking about his current bible study on Adam and Eve.

Now I’ve read Genesis more than a few times and have many of the guys in my men’s group praying for my heathen soul on a daily basis. Why? Because in my mind Adam was given a bum rap and got the blame for much more than he deserved.

My client/friend and I bantered back and forth on this. While he is a very open guy, he does tend to take the more conservative Baptist perspective that the man leads and the woman follows. Me, I’m a Billy Joel “Only the Good Die Young” ex-Catholic who goes to a PCA Presbyterian church and actually avows a more Unitarian kinder-gentler approach towards God than any specific denominational approach.

OK, back to Genesis. When I discussed the man being over the woman thing as defined in Genesis 3:16 with a very good friend of mine she said “Good luck with that (expletive deleted)!” I explained it to her that Eve had it all then blew it by listening to the serpent and then Adam blew it by listening to Eve yet somehow it always gets turned around that it’s all the guy’s fault  The look I got said it all and it wasn’t one of endearing love either. Maybe I’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places but I’ve been told that “biblical wives “exist out there. I have never found one and truth be known I don’t really think I want to either. Just give me one who listens a little better than Eve did and I’ll be happy.

Most die-hard Christians say the Fall is all man’s fault but to that I say read the Word again. It never says that. The worst it says in Genesis 3:17 is "Because you listened to your wife…” with the implication “and not Me,” then we get all the curses put upon us because Adam was a dummy... Heck, that pretty much defines my life…

In my many roles I’m supposed to lead yet find people who just won’t let me. It happens in my business - Mike, you tell us what to do or how to do it, and then we’ll do it our way anyway and blame you when the outcome isn’t what we expected.

It happens in my personal life - you lead, I may or may not follow. Apparently Fred Astaire I’m not.

It even happens with the dog.  “No, I want to pee here, not there, and if you lead me back there, I’ll just pee on the carpet again to spite you…”

That’s sort of the dilemma that Adam faced. God told both Adam and Eve the rules together, and while he was in the Garden with her doing God knows what she goes eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Now he blew it too by listening to the lil vixen that was formed from his rib and as hard as it is to say he, too, got what he deserved. I won’t debate that. I also won’t debate that God wasn’t happy at all either. I honestly can’t say I don’t blame Him either, but was it all Adam’s fault?

Genesis 2:24 uses the words “one flesh” as in equals. It wasn’t until Genesis 3:16 did God say “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.". So if both were equals before the Fall why did Adam take the blame for her mess up? After all, she knew the rules too, right?

Now let’s go a step further. Was Adam right next to Eve? In Genesis 3:6 it says “She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” Was he right there next to her when she ate it the first time or just somewhere else in the garden and came back to find out that she blew it by disobeying God’s one and only rule? It doesn’t say. The conspiracy theorists could have a field day with this one. Was Adam mesmerized by the serpent and said nothing or had he just come back from being somewhere else in the Garden and found out what she did. I wonder what would have happened if he said  “Eve- WTF!!! You dumb bunny. You knew the rules God gave us. You blew it!!. You’re outta here now babe!!.”.  and didn’t cave in to her “offer” of a bite or two. Who knows who might have been her replacement. God may have even seen that maybe Adam needed all his ribs after all. Rest assured though whatever the outcome it wouldn’t have been Adam and Steve…and the sheep were safe too…

Now keep in mind in Gen 3:12 Adam even told God “..the woman you put here with me…”. This, at least to me this to me, implies that Adam really didn’t even want a mate but was he given any choice in the matter? Noooo….. God, in His infinite wisdom, decided to give him one. Adam probably could have asked for his rib back and his life would have been all well and good. Of course technically we might not all be here now were it not for Adam and Eve but…these are minor details. Did he ask for a “helper”? Nope….Some helper huh? Now you know why I’m still single…and probably will be for a long while…

OK so before I go straight to hell without collecting my $200 for passing Go, you need to know what all has to do with PACS. Several things:

1)    Be content with what you have. Adam and Eve had it all yet in true female fashion Eve wanted yet more. I know a woman can never have enough shoes or chocolate but….Eve should have left the tree of knowledge of good and evil alone. All those trees and a good life to boot and yet it still wasn’t enough… Yes, there might be something better out there but if you have you are fairly happy with what you have why bother looking for something more?

2)    Follow the rules. Most vendors don’t ask a whole lot out of end users- just that you have a PSA, do routine maintenance, load the upgrades, and report any known problems. Customers merely ask that a vendor provide responsive support and sell them a product that does indeed do what they said it would. Break the rules and there are consequences you both will face. Corollary: It only takes one person to screw it up for all the rest of us so…..

3)    If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Adam was perfectly happy in the garden with “the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field as well” as the “trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food”. Heck, the livestock even had names. Did he say “Hey God, how about stealing a rib from me and making me a helper? Nope. Genesis 2:18 “The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."  My pastor always says God never make mistakes but in this instance….it does make you wonder.

4)    Not everyone is out there to help you. Just look at the serpent…..and Eve…who thought they were both helping out…I have a plaque that summarizes it all- trust in yourself- but since there are also 61 passages in the bible that tell you to trust in the Lord as well I’ll compromise and say trust in Him to help you trust in yourself…although I still wonder about His judgment with that whole creating Eve thing...

5)    Without leadership you will flounder. If Eve knew Adam was in charge she might not have risked going against his wishes or God’s,  but since she considered herself an equal she did as she pleased and look where it got them both.

  
Now you are probably praying for me right now thinking if I’m this bad with Genesis I can only imagine what he’ll do with Revelation. Psalms and Proverbs are probably a much safer and better bet for me to address though, although if I really wanted to stir up controversy I could quote from the Gnostic Gospels (Philip, Mary Magdelan, et.al.). I can just see it now- the elders and the deacons of my church are already on their way over to my house to hold a combined prayer meeting/exorcism for me…..
Nah….. Next time I think I’ll just play it safe and hit the tried and true Song of Solomon and see if I can get Ms. PACS all worked up….in more ways than one….