He was right beside her!

God has used John Eldredge to explain things in a way that sort of take the blinders off.
I have started a study with 14 other men on the book Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. We just finished week 2 and the guys and I are seeing things in a new light already.
Week 1 was about who we are, we are men and we are created with a masculine spirit as women with a feminine spirit there is a difference and that difference is that men like adventure, and they desire to have a battle to fight, and we want to rescue the beauty.
In week 2 we talked about the poser, who we pretend to be and how we hide the real us. Why do we pose, because we don't won't anyone to think that we are weak or we are not smart, bottom line we cover up anything we think contradicts the idea that we "have what it takes" the all important question for every boy and man, "do I have what it takes".
In reading in Genesis a couple of things stand out in our mind that we had not seen that way before. First of all, Adam was created in the wilderness not in the garden, a reference to the idea that men need the wild and dangerous. In chapter 3 when Eve is deceived by the serpent we learned that Adam was not at distance looking on wondering what was happening, although we'd like to believe that, no, he was right beside her, close enough to touch her, they were side by side, elbow to elbow and he stood there and allowed her to take of the fruit that the Father had told them not to even touch. Most of the guys were thinking that he was off at some distance and maybe wasn't close enough to stop her, but he was, and he went passive, he stood there and allowed her to do what he knew was wrong and then (I believe) out of fear of loosing her he also ate the fruit. The first and only opportunity he had to be the leader that God created him (men) to be and he goes passive. We talked about how many times we have done the very same thing, instead of addressing something with our spouse we just ignore it, turn our backs, and go passive. Passivity is a Sin and we all fall into it because we don't want to fight or argue, yet at the same time we desire to have a battle to fight. Confusing? Is to me, but I catch myself doing the very same thing to avoid making her mad or to avoid an argument.
The next session is "the wound", the most difficult session, but the most critical to learn how to change the way we think.
Want to learn more, read Wild at Heart by John Eldredge.
Until next time.