Published by The greatest tragedy that has ever befallen humankind recorded in history should be the fall of humankind in the Garden of Eden. With that single event which resulted from a single simple action – eating the forbidden fruit came serious consequences for even generations unborn. There are many views as to whether what was eaten was really a fruit or some other thing(s) is/are involved. Those arguments are not as important as the consequences that came as a result of the action. Some people also, in order to avoid the trouble, reduced the whole event to the issue of disobedience. This is good but how the ultimate disobedience resulted is of paramount importance to us who live today so that we may not make the mistakes that Adam and Eve made. In Genesis 3:1 – 6 we can identify four lessons we have to learn from the fall.
Before we start let us remember that Eve and Adam in this case are all representative of humankind. The gender question does not come in here at all.
Lesson 1
Do not enter into an argument with the devil. In other words don’t try to reason out what is evil in order to justify it. The law at the time of the first couple was that it was wrong to eat the fruit. By trying to see why that was not wholly true Eve made the first step towards disobedience. Even though social values are changing today in a very rapid way there are certain things that will remain for a long time as good and evil. Things like drugs, theft and murder will continue to be evil; whiles values like honesty, loyalty and kindness will continue to be upheld in all societies as good.
Once we start questioning these things and try to justify the wrong ones or condemn the right ones we will find ourselves sooner or later in deep trouble. Once you start questioning yourself in a manner like “Is it really true that doing drugs are bad?” know that you have started walking on the path of disobedience. The devil does not come to us physically. He appears in our thoughts. The most pleasurable things we do lead us to great problems. It is easy to indulge in gluttony because the taste of food is good for the body, yet the consequence is the unwelcome weight problems we must deal with later. Remember the famous road campaign adage about speed: “Speed trills but kills”
Lesson 2
Do not be misled by your senses. In Genesis 3:6, Eve saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasing to the eyes. Our senses keep on throwing a lot of images and signals at us everyday. We feel these are good signals which must be acted upon. Most of these are illusions and delusions. Not everything that glitters is gold; even though the eyes might see it brighten. Nice is not right. Eve relied on her senses and fell. In the same way is the feeling that might come from using drugs or even smelling food. Follow it and you get addicted or put on weight. If you want to live a successful life you must master your senses, you should not be mastered by them. The greatest freedom we can experience is to be free from ourselves. There is not a prison as strong as the one constructed by our senses.
Lesson 3
Do not experiment with evil. The taught of becoming wiser was what finally drove Eve to eat the fruit. She thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate. She wants to know how it will be like to be wise. It is true that what leads most people especially young people into things such as alcohol, drugs and sex is the desire to know how it feels. Such things are such that one you start it you can’t stop. The knowledge is not worth having after all if it will only lead to slavery. Many people confessed to have walked the path of experimentation with dying consequences. Before you try it think of the consequences.
Lesson 4
Do not bow to peer pressure. Adam was not part of the problem up to this point. But Eve gave her some of the fruit and he ate it. This might have followed some (unrecorded) conversation like this.
“What are you eating, Eve?
“The fruit
“Which one?
“The forbidden one of course!
“God said we should not eat it?
“But it taste good. The feeling after eating it is great; you can’t afford not to have such a feeling. “Try it and see…
“But God…
“Just try it…
“Wow, I love it, give me some more…”
So you see how peers can affect you. You are responsible for what happens to you. What someone else is doing to him/herself does not affect you like what you do to yourself. Be firm on your principles, make them work for you. The moment you start listening to what your pals say without taking into account your personal principles, you lose.
Conclusion
The consequences of taking the wrong decisions and acting upon them could be great as depicted in the story of Adam and Eve. This is still true today and we have to exercise the greatest responsibility over ourselves in order to avoid a great number of these consequences. Life is so delicate, it must be lived with care if it must be lived right.
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