The LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Genesis 2:18

Man was glorious, but he was incomplete. To show Adam what he lacked, God brought all the animals to him to study and name. When Adam finished his task, he realized there was no other creature like him. He was the only human being on earth. He was alone.

It was not good for Adam to be alone, because God, whose image he bore, was not alone. From all eternity, God was one God but three distinct persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each equally God, existing in a personal relationship of love and communication. These three persons made man in their image: “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26, NASB). Inherent in man’s nature, then, is the need for a personal relationship with an equal. Adam could not properly reflect the image of God without a companion. So God caused the man to fall asleep, took a rib from his side, and fashioned it into the first woman, Eve. She was a perfect companion for Adam, equal in every way—equally made in the image of God, equally blessed and commissioned by God.

Although God made men and women entirely equal, He also made them fundamentally different, each reflecting different aspects of His character. God made men to lead, provide, and protect; He made women to nurture, help, and support. Because each needs the strengths of the other, giving is necessary. Man is not independent of woman, nor is woman independent of man (1 Corinthians 11:11). Only together do we exemplify God’s rich nature. Because we are equal and different, we complete each other.

The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. Genesis 2:22 (nasb)

Ladakhi Woman, Leh, Ladakh, India — Folk Dancer, Segovia, Spain — Rajasthani Bride, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

The tika, commonly seen on the forehead of Hindu women, is worn to signify they are married. It is also believed to be a source of life and energy, symbolizing concentration, intuition, and knowledge.
Adam said: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” Genesis 2:23 (esv)

Uygur Woman, Turfan, China — Fishwife, Izu, Japan

Uygurs (pronounced we-gurs) are the predominant ethnic population in western China. They are a Turkic people descended from the Huns, who came from central Asia, and have played a major role in the history of China and much of Asia. Their appearance is strikingly Western, contrasting sharply with the look of the Han Chinese, who are predominant in the rest of the country.

The delightful, smile-worn face of this fishwife from Japan’s Izu Peninsula could well have been the model for the “happy face” icon that is used around the world to communicate joy.

Woman is the glory of man. 1 Corinthians 11:17

Masai Woman, Kenya — Ladakhi Dancer, Leh, Ladakh, India

The colorful beadwork necklaces of the Masai women in Kenya and Tanzania present a strong contrast to the largely monochromatic landscape.

An even greater contrast is seen in the costumes of Ladakhi women, homeland, known as “Little Tibet,” is in the high and barren foothills of the Himalaya. Here, even the most elaborate turquoise, coral, and silver jewelry is overshadowed by a unique traditional headdress, called a perak, that is said to have been designed by a long-ago queen who was self conscious about the size of her ears. Sporting two large woolen ear flaps and a turquoise-studded hood that runs down the back, the perak is not only protective, but the quantity and quality of its stones also make it an important status symbol.