GENESIS 2:18
There is a growing “rent-a-family” industry in many countries today. People who are short on relatives can hire a husband, a mother, a grandson, etc. Some hire actors to impersonate estranged relatives, so that they can feel, if briefly, a familial connection they long for.
This trend reflects a basic truth: Humans are created for relationship. In the creation story found in Genesis, God looked at each thing He made and saw that they were good. But when God considered Adam, He said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18). The man needed another person – the woman.
The book of Genesis portrays man and woman as partners who depend on each other to flourish. It is believed that Genesis 2:18-22 is the only complete account of woman’s creation in all of ancient Near Eastern literature (from about 2600 BC to Alexander the Great’s conquest around 330 BC). The Hebrew word ‘ezer’ (helper) used to describe the woman is also a dignifying word used in scripture to describe God as a deliverer of His people.
The Bible does not just tell us about our need for relationship. It also tells us where to find relationships, especially as Christians – among Jesus’ followers. Jesus, at His death, told His disciple, John to consider His mother as his own. They would be family to each other even after He was gone (John 19:26–27).
God has made us for relationship and given us His people to be our family! We do not need to rent a family.
