A Snake in the Grass

Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-6

You will be like God, knowing good and evil. - Genesis 3:5, NIV.

The Serpent slowly approached the woman. "Yo, mama," he said.

The woman sighed and rolled her eyes. She knew this snake; he'd once offered to take her for a ride in his convertible. But she was too smart for him; she knew snakes couldn't drive.

"Take a look at this," he whispered. He showed her a shiny, emerald-green fruit. The morning dew still glistened on its soft skin. "It's tastier than all the
fruits in the Garden," he told her, locking gazes with her. "It's sweet and
juicy and feels warm and cool all at the same time." He pushed the fruit under the woman's nose. "Here, mama, give it a sniff."

"I know where you got that," she said accusingly. "You got it from the tree in the middle of the Garden."

"So what if I did? Who says you can't eat from any ol' tree you want?"

"You know," she answered slowly. She was sure she'd had this same conversation with the serpent many times before. Yet now she could scarcely remember what she'd said, what he'd said, even what God had said.

"Oh, come on now." He moved closer to her until his head was almost resting on her shoulder. "God doesn't want you eating this fruit because he just wants to control you." He flashed a charming smile. "But I think you're old enough to make those decisions yourself, don't you?"

He watched as she blinked. "Of course," he continued, his voice as smooth as dew rolling off a leaf, "I can always eat it myself."

She stared at the fruit in silence.

Finally, he jerked the fruit away. "Never mind," he said sharply. "Later, mama."

"No, wait!" she shouted. She covered her mouth with a hand, shocked at the volume of her own voice. "Wait," she repeated softly. "I want to taste it."

"Now you're talking, mama." He watched with grinning satisfaction as her slender fingers grasped the fruit and lifted it to her mouth. Juice dripped down her chin as she bit into the fruit. Her eyes widened as she chewed, and her face blushed red for the first time. She felt an odd pleasure and something else, something new, something she could not name. She didn't know what to call it, but it scared her. And it hurt.

The serpent smiled wickedly. "Now, mama," he said, "let me show you some designer fig leaves that I can sell you real cheap."

REFLECT: The woman not only took a piece of fruit from the serpent; she also tried to take something that belonged only to God—the power to decide good and evil. Her husband, Adam, later did the same thing. What disastrous results occurred?

PRAYER: Our Loving Heavenly Father, Give me your strength, God, to resist temptation. I especially need your help to flee from______________. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."

Which Way Do I Go?

Bible Reading: Proverbs 14:12

There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.
- Proverbs 14:12, NRSV.

How do you usually decide whether a certain belief or behavior is right or
wrong? Do you:

(a) toss a coin: Heads it's right, tails it's wrong?

(b)weigh it carefully, considering whether it feels right?

(c) measure it against what the majority thinks? (If it's pretty much accepted
in your school, church, or community, it's probably OK.)

(d)none of the above?

If you answered (a), you've got a lot of company. Many people today make
decisions this way. They may not actually flip a coin, but they don't lose any
sleep over such a decision. They put more thought into what kind of dog food to buy 0l' Yeller than whether a certain action would be right or wrong.

If you answered (b), you chose an extremely popular model for determining right and wrong. People who choose this usually try to decide what's right or wrong based on their own opinions or feelings. They're likely to say, "I think it's wrong to hurt another person," or "I feel it's OK to get mad as long as you have a good reason."

If you answered (c), you're with a number of people who make decisions about right and wrong the way you do. They try to decide what's right or wrong depending on what everyone else is doing. If they see other people cheating or breaking the law, they think it's OK for them to do it too.

If you answered (d), you'll probably find yourself in the minority most of the
time. But the truth is, we can't make right choices based on how we feel or on what everyone else is doing. Right and wrong are not determined by an
individual's opinions or feelings or by what the government or society accepts or rejects. Right and wrong are determined by God, who is the original, the universal, the absolute standard for everything that is good and right.

For example, lying is wrong because God is true. Stealing is wrong because God is just. Hatred is wrong because God is love. These things are wrong no matter what you may think or feel. These things are wrong, not because the majority thinks so or because society frowns on them, but because God thinks so.

REFLECT: Proverbs 14:12 says: "There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death." How might choices (a), (b), and (c) (above) have the same consequence? Think back on how you usually make decisions about whether a belief or behavior is right or wrong. Now think about Proverbs 14:12. To what consequence will your method of deciding lead you?

PRAYER: "Our Loving Heavenly Father, help me consider your desires in every choice I make, especially when it's hard to do the right thing, like when I have to__________________." Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."