Of the hundreds of notable people throughout the Scriptures, one individual has always intrigued me. Perhaps the best-known woman in both the Bible and Book of Mormon, Eve has had an enormous influence on our lives. While many poke fun at her “gigantic mistake,” I tend to err on the side of her humanness — and somehow that makes me feel comforted when I find myself following suit. If I could sit down to dinner with her one evening — over a pasta meal, of course — I’d love to ask her about the following:

How She Balanced Her Many Hats

Eve had quite a few “firsts.” She was the first woman on earth, the first wife, and the first mother. That’s a lot of titles and responsibility for one person. I have some myself, but none carry the weight that hers do. There isn’t much written about her life, and perhaps that’s why I’m curious about knowing more. Her roles, though significant, aren’t recorded; not much is written about her following the infamous transgression of all transgressions. And, I’m certain, at one time or another we’ve all felt like Eve — doing a lot with seemingly little recognition. But, God didn’t forget her. In fact, He knew she couldn’t do everything by herself.

What It Means to Be a Partner

In Genesis 2, the Lord, in His infinite wisdom, decided it would be good for Adam to have a companion and helper. When he fell asleep, God took one of Adam’s ribs and used it to form Eve. With her creation, another list of “firsts” came into being: the first human relationship, the first friendship, the first companionship, and the first marriage. God may have created Adam in His image first — but He didn’t stop there. It serves as a wonderful reminder that we weren’t meant to go through life alone. God wants us to have bonds with one another whether they are romantic or not. He didn’t want us to be lonely, and He didn’t want that for Adam (or Eve), either. He knew they would need each other just like we need Him. Eve is the prime example of partner in my book, weaving through the challenges of life together and admitting that sometimes you need help.

Overcoming Obstacles

Many probably have their opinions about Eve — God made a clear commandment not to eat from the tree of life, and she didn’t follow it after being tempted. However, God knew this would happen all along, and instead of turning His back to her, He wrapped His arms around her. We can place blame on her poor decision, or we can look beyond it and remember she lived a life in His honor afterwards. She may have started her life in the Garden of Eden, but her story didn’t end there. She shouldn’t be defined by one choice — she still had the other titles to live up to.

And live up to them, she did. Eve went on to be a mother to Cain, Abel, Seth and potentially others who aren’t recorded. She began the lineage of the human race and for that, I applaud her. She “labored” in her own way — and perhaps never forgave herself for the conversation with the serpent.

There’s always two sides to every story, and on the surface, Eve gets a bad rap. If I could have dinner (and dessert) with her, I’d listen to her experiences from life and know that deep down, she was doing her best. While our goal is to be as perfect as Him, she serves as a reminder to me that even in our imperfect moments, He still has a plan for us.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.