Genesis 2

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil has always eluded me. With a name like that, it seems so clear that it has to be representative of an abstract moral concept and not an actual tangible tree like with knowledge fruit growing on it where some fruits are good and some are evil. But then the whole talking snake and taking a bite parts seem so literal. I sometimes just really spin my wheels thinking about what the whole fall really means. How it played out literally. But honestly, most of the time I just don’t care. If it’s all 100% literal or all 100% allegorical, I really don’t care. The point is, it’s a great picture of the steps we all take when we choose to sin. We think we know better than God.

I’ve talked to my kids a lot about sin. We talk about how I think that really all sin is birthed out of selfishness. (I don’t think I ever use the word birthed with them actually.) God’s commands are to love HIM with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love others ahead of ourselves. That requires the exact opposite of selfish. So whether it ends up looking like cheating, lying, pride, rebellion, lust or any other sin you name, it still sounds a lot like selfishness. It’s a lot of us thinking we know better than God.

Think about the fall today. Not just this fall, but your falls. The times you choose the taste of sin over obedience to God. The times you exchange the truth for a lie. How does it still resemble this age old story?