Responsibilities and Side Trails!

Once Piper and I discovered the awe-inspiring beauty of the Plumas National Forest in northeastern California, we felt like two kids in a candy store!  The initial thing we did on our first trip in 1976, was to stop, before we went up the mountain to our campsite, at the general store in the metropolis of Graeagle, California (population 737).  Along with the customary unhealthy but delicious vacation snack foods, we sought to purchase whatever hiking trail maps we could get our hands on!

From that day forward, with every vacation we went on to the Sierra’s over the next 29 years, we soaked up the gorgeous sights and were enthralled by the local mining history, while we trekked along as many trails as we could explore throughout each trip!  Piper and I tended to be more adventurous in the first four years before we started our family and liked to start on one trail and then meander along on the side excursions on the many trails that intersected the main one.

I clearly remember on one occasion when we were hiking up a mountain, through a thickly forested area of tall pines, when the trail suddenly popped out of the shaded canopy into an open area along the edge of the mountain.  We quickly realized that this particular spot offered a breath-taking and majestic view of another two mountain peaks, separated by a rich green valley in-between. 

It was so overwhelming to our visual senses that all we could do was to grab each other’s hand and in unison say “Wow!” while we collectively caught our breaths from the strenuous hike and the surprise of the scenery before us!  The funny thing was that because we took so many side trails along the way… that we were never able to find that exact spot again… which was frustrating when the kids got older and would have enjoyed the trail and the rewards that they could have seen at the end of the trail!

During my Bible study this morning, I likewise found myself taking a couple of totally unplanned side trails when studying, once again, from I Corinthians 2:15-16.  When I read the last sentence in verse 16 where Paul explained,

“But, strange as it seems, we Christians actually do have within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ,”  (TLB)

I thought, “Well, that’s not too surprising especially since we were created in the image and likeness of God.”  In Genesis 1:26 God is said to have declared “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (KJV)  

Then my line of thought continued on to the next chapter where a more detailed version of this event is written.  I noticed that after Adam was created that God specifically told him that,

“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden.  But you must never eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because when you eat from it, you will certainly die.”  (God’s Word ©)

From there I read through chapter three and mankind’s defining moment when Adam and Eve fell to the deception of the serpent, disobeyed God and opened wide the door of sin to come into the life of every person throughout the coming ages.

When I finished reading and put my Bible down, I suddenly began to contemplate the idea… what if Adam had prevented his wife from eating of the fruit, and rebuked the serpent?  I would confess without a second thought, that I am definitely a traditionalist in that I fully believe that one of a husband’s major roles in the marriage is to protect his wife whenever possible… and I am not just talking about physical protection.

With my personal experience with Piper’s health issues, I am especially sensitive to this.  In our situation I quickly learned that I needed to not only take care of her physical sick-ness related needs and watch over her and protect her from physical harm… but also from wrong diagnosis, hurtful words, depression oozing off people who might come into her presence and from things that would zap us of our faith… when we needed it the most!

With the celebration of Christmas just a few days away, it is easy for me to see a very different outcome than that of Adam and Eve, from another covenanted husband who stepped up, took his role seriously and protected his espoused wife. 

When Joseph learned that the woman that he loved, the woman he was under covenant to marry, was with a child that was not his… his first thought was to care for her and to protect her from living in shame… not to blame her and try to pass the responsibility of the situation off on her… contrary to Adam who quickly declared to the Lord when asked about their transgression and stated,

“That woman, the one you gave me, gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." (Genesis 3:12 God’s Word ©)

And then take a look at the results… Adam’s refusal to protect his wife caused their once blest of the Lord, idyllic life to crumble in a matter of moments.  It was also a mistake that negatively affected the lives of every single human being that was born after them.  

If I were Adam though… the thing that would have hurt me the most was knowing that I let my wife down… and worse yet… knowing that SHE knew… that I threw her “under the bus” sort-of-speak when she needed my support the most!

But in Joseph’s case… well… the total opposite happened.  Because he let her well-being be more important than his own… he listened to the angel of the Lord, proudly took Mary to be his wife and protected her through the perilous journeys to Bethlehem and then to Egypt.  He also took the child as his own, and provided for and shared the care of Mary’s first-born son…

For Joseph, his taking responsibility for the care of his wife-to-be proved to be a one-of-a-kind event that would positively affect every boy and girl, man and women alive then and in the future to come.  For through the young virgin girl Mary… with Joseph’s unrelenting care and protection… was born unto us… “this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11 KJV) 

Hummmm… I bet you never thought of the Christmas story like that!

 

I pray that each of you have a most joyful, blessed, encouraging

                                          and peaceful Christmas  - Jim