He was naked, overseeing a remedial task of naming animals, and in full confidence of who he was.

Oh, what sin has corrupted. Isn't it amazing how we men struggle find our identity in what they do, rather who we already are?

If it wasn't for the car we drive, the title attaching itself to our name on the business card, the amount of money we make, things we store in our idol garage, or the people we hang out with inside of our lifeboat, we men might not have an identity to speak of.

My past year has had its turn of events. A corporate decision of termination of my career direction caused me to stumble upon the fact that I was finding way too much of my identity in 'what I did' for a living.

The result caused me to be emasculated to the core. My ego was sabotaged by the corporate decision to remove my tenure of contributions due to a choice involving economics for the future. All that loyalty, effort and accomplishment washed away due to projected numbers on a piece of paper. 

I was no longer desired by 'the job' I did, and I was emotionally shipwrecked. 

Strange as it may sound, I'm now 'happy that it happened', but still struggling to overcome the ordeal. For I am a complete 'Ragamuffin' man in God's fallen creation, needing His grace each step of the way.

I was encouraged, as I stumbled upon God grace in Adam's plight.

Here was the ultimate, created man in a sinless environment. Naked and content to name animals for the Creator Himself. If you ask any 'real man' today, he'd say, "Uh, not only do I want to name the animals, I want to design them - because I want the full recognition."

What made Adam sit there - naked? He didn't know it, he was too focused on God's identity in him and for him.

Naked Adam sitting naked on a rock and overseeing anything for God made his day fulfilling. We men laugh at his assignment; can you imagine, asking a man to sit naked on a rock and come up with names for animals that parade in front of him. What lunacy, and waist of talents.

Yet, the more we laugh, the more it turns to sorrow. After Adam was finished with the livestock inventory, things began to turn for him - and the rest of  manhood.