Women-Influential

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat…'” Genesis 2:16-17

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6

“‘Have you eaten from the tree which I commanded you not to eat?’ The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate'” Genesis 3:11b-12

I’m sorry this seventh installment for “Woman Week” didn’t come the day after the sixth, but sometimes life gets in the way, ya’ know? BUT, I couldn’t leave you hanging after promising to talk about why The Fall wasn’t all Eve’s fault (see “Women-Some Tough Mothers”).

I’m going to hit this topic hard-and-heavy during “Man Week,” which will be the week of Father’s Day, but I’ll touch on it here.

We know Eve ate the forbidden fruit, so she tends to take the fall (pun intended) for our situation–the human condition. But look at Adam. He really wimps out here. With our very first sin, came the very first round of the “blame game” to ever be played. Adam throws Eve under the bus without hesitation (Genesis 3:11-12 above).

God told Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This admonition came before Eve was even created (Genesis 2:16-17 above). It was Adam’s job to teach Eve God’s rules and to make sure their family abided by them. That mandate has not changed fellas. I see far too many women carrying the burden of spiritual leadership in their families. I see far too many husbands sitting at home with a million excuses for not serving the Lord while their wives drag the kids to church each week and constantly “invite” their husbands to come. It is a travesty, and it is largely why the “traditional family” is in such crisis today. Men, we are called to follow Christ and lead our family along that path. If you aren’t doing that, you are failing as a man, husband, and father. God isn’t going to ask you if you taught your kids to play soccer or to bait a hook. He’s going to ask you what you did to lead them in following Christ. What will your answer be?

Eve was enticed by the seductive nature of sin. Adam stood there, saying nothing, while Satan tempted Eve. When Eve took the fruit, Adam said and did nothing. When Eve ate, she then extended the offer to Adam and he “ate also” (Genesis 3:6 above).  He was standing there through the whole ordeal and did NOTHING! Is the Fall of Man Eve’s fault? I think not. All Adam had to do is open his mouth and take a stand on God’s word. That is why God says, “…sin came into the world through one MAN…”

But the Bible is clear that women have an incredible power of influence over men. There are many negative proofs of it in Scripture. The people of Israel were warned not to take wives from the people-groups they encountered because those women would cause them to abandon the One True God and worship idols (and that is exactly what happened). King Solomon was the wisest man to ever walk the earth, but pagan wives caused him to forsake God and worship idols (1 Kings 11:1-8). But that influence can also work in a positive way, as it did with the woman at the well whose testimony God used to save many (John 4:39).

Ladies, you captivate us. That is why it is so important for you to follow Christ.  When we set our heart on you, we want to pursue you, and we will follow you to the ends of the earth if that is what it takes. Once we catch you (or you allow us to catch you), your power of influence becomes even stronger. God has called us to lead, but He has given you to us to help us find the narrow gate that leads to life. Your influence is powerful. Follow Christ and let’s head for life.