OUT OF MY DEPTH
NORM IS NOT ALONE
EMBRACING A WOMEN'S MYSTERY BY PHIL WAGLER
I
have a vague recollection of an episode of Cheers—that sitcom of the last century. Norm, greeted with an everybody-knows-your-name “Norm!” when he enters the pub, sits over a half-spent pint. As usual, he bemoans his relationship with his wife Vera, whom we never see, but is the mysterious partner/antagonist in the background of Norm’s life. In the scene I recall, Norm is processing woman as he knows her. Perplexed he blurts, “Women. Can’t live with them. Pass the beer nuts.” Norm is not alone. How are we to understand the mystery; this wonder woman who is beautiful, gifted, a gift, confounding, and a blessing? Let us start at the very beginning, with God the Blesser. This is a glorious paradox. Holy God, deserving of greatest honour, always looks to bless. In the creation story, as soon as there are creatures to fill the void and join his creative purposes God leaps to bless. The word “bless” is barak: “to kneel down, praise, abundantly and altogether congratulate.” Before humanity rises from the dust God blesses sea creatures and the birds. Then, famously and resolutely God blesses us. He delights in sharks and guppies, canaries and bald eagles, horses, and dogs (possibly even cats), congratulating them on getting busy and filling the earth with the goodness of life. This is pleasing. But, the Lord reserves his most full blessing for humanity! Tall and short, six-pack or beerbelly, male and female are blessed
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and elevated. “Let us make humanity in us is indiscriminate. God blesses in our image” (Genesis 1:26-27) “them”—male and female. He elevates declares the Creator! (Of nothing else us together and gives one mandate: is this said.) We bear the image of “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the God, relating to Him, reflecting and earth. Accentuate my good purpose. partnering with Him in the stewarding Steward what is created. I gift you all and blessing of the good. Male and this. Be my participants, my proxy, female: in essence one, my ambassadors, my kings distinct in identity, blessed and queens.” THIS IS A to live out these differences The only thing in all creCOMPLETELY and commonalities in the ation “not good” is aloneDIFFERENT one reality that together we ness (Genesis 2:18). The are the image of God. fullness of the image of God NARRATIVE In a spectacular mysintroduced in Genesis 1:26OF BEING tery, we individually bear 27 comes clearer. God is not HUMAN THAN the image of God. And yet, alone, but a communion of the image of God in man is One—Father, Son, and SpirOUR CULTURE incomplete without the imit. Those, therefore, made in CURRENTLY age of God in woman. Both the image also shouldn’t be EMBRACES together reflect the fullalone, indeed we cannot be. ness of God. Independent of If we travel alone, the image each other or against one another, we of God is incomplete. We were created shroud the holy mystery of God. We as a partnership. diminish the divine glory and end up, Marriage between a man and a unwittingly, diminishing ourselves. woman (distinct and different, yet As guys, we may drop tears in one) becomes a unique picture of Norm’s beer. Women are a mystery this mystery of God. But it’s not just to us. But rather than nod with Norm, married guys like Norm who must men of God should embrace the work at this. There is a larger principle mystery. To do otherwise is beneath here: man was made for partnership our dignity—and hers. with woman, and woman with man. This is a completely different We need each other. Men should kneel narrative of being human than our before the mystery of woman to bless. culture currently embraces. Our No man should diminish her. Norm is cultural debates are not elevating not alone, and this, sadly, is not funny. this dignity, but instead confusing – ultimately separating us from one another and absolutely destroying the / PHIL WAGLER is married to a blessing of God we were meant to be wonderful mystery named Jen. She’s still together. trying to figure him out too. They live in From the beginning God’s delight Surrey, BC.
