Christian Living

---

We all know the story about Adam and Eve and how God told them they could eat anything they wanted, except they could not eat from the tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden.

Genesis 3: 6 says, When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom; she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he at it.”

It is interesting how we rationalize all the reasons why we shouldn’t listen to God! We are just like Eve, when we tell ourselves things like, “well, this sure looks like fun.” Or we say, “I can’t take my eyes off it.” Or we justify and tell ourselves how “I deserve it…”

And of course, after we do our sin, we try to blame someone else – anyone else. Even God. We say things like, “If God didn’t want me to sin, why did he put that temptation in front of me?”

Adam did the same thing as he started out by blaming God. Take a close look at Genesis 3:11-12 where Adam says to God, “The woman you put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

We give everyone and anyone blame – except ourselves. So here we are in the very first book of the Bible, just after God created this lovely paradise for us to live in, and we’ve already made decisions to eat the forbidden fruit, followed by hiding from our sin, followed by blaming God, blaming each other, and finally blaming the devil.

What a tragedy!

This tragic story in the Bible is almost the opposite of modern autobiographies. Most autobiographies are filled with conquest, overcoming the odds and victories. It’s often the same way whenever we talk about ourselves. We like to put our best foot forward and make ourselves look good.

But unlike the victorious autobiographies, or our own stories of self importance, the Bible doesn’t try to make people into heroes. Instead the Bible is filled with stories about individual people and nations who constantly struggled with their faith and sinful nature. It is filled with stories about prodigal sons and lost sheep stories about doubters and people who constantly made mistakes.

Clearly, if someone was trying to write a book about “heroes” who never fell down and lived perfect lives, it is tough to find them in the Bible.

Yes, the Bible tells the truth. It says that all of us are fallen people who sin and fall short. From the very first couple who ate the forbidden fruit, we continually fall down.

• Look at the people of Israel who were rescued by Moses out of the slavery of Egypt. Remember how they walked through the Red Sea…. Yet they so quickly forgot what God had done for them.
• King David was a man who committed adultery, then murder and then denied the whole thing.
• Peter disowned Jesus.
• Thomas refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead.
• Paul himself said in Romans 7:17 “I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway.”

I fall down. And so do you. We all fall down, but God still loves you, even when you fall. There is something we can learn from the characters in the bible – that God loves you all the time right where you are at and He will help you to receive and understand this all so important truth.

Mark Arens, owner of ThumbPeople, Inc. & author of Thumbuddy Books & products, shares his heart on the importance of spending time together as a family. ThumbPeople provides traditional children's products and books that help build and fortify strong relationships within the family. Building self worth and self respect within our children is vital. Visit ThumbPeople www.thumbpeople.com

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE