“but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Genesis 2:17 NIV
Are you deeply rooted in your faith, or are you easily manipulated by the beliefs, opinions, and attitudes of others? We are expected to be guided by God’s commandments. They set the limits of our thoughts and actions.
God was very generous to Adam and Eve and gave them all the fruit of the Garden of Eden for food, except for one tree, that of the knowledge of good and evil. This was their test; their behavior boundary. They had to choose whether to follow God’s bidding or disobey. But they could not resist the temptation; its allure was too much for them. They listened to Satan’s beguiling words and questioned God’s goodness and motives in denying them the one tree. They crossed the line by eating of the fruits and the whole of mankind suffers death and all manner of ills for this choice to disobey God.
Every day, the boundaries we have set for ourselves set the limits of our behavior and how other people behave around us. Like Eve, some of us have boundaries that are too soft making us easily manipulated by others. Satan’s temptation makes the wrong things appear good, moral, and wise. Our doubts, greed, lust and selfishness make us vulnerable. It is in resisting their temptation and allowing God's rule that we daily grow in faith.
Others among us have boundaries that are too rigid and they are not open to new ideas. If they are outside God’s promises their hard stance may lead to their condemnation. They need to follow God’s wisdom in allowing what is right and true to guide them.
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“Whatever makes us either think or feel strongly, adds to our power, and enlarges our field of action”. Ralph Waldo Emerson
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