"Then the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'” Genesis 3:4-5
Ever wonder what life would be like if Adam and Eve had not eaten the forbidden fruit?
Personally speaking, I think Eve's story is the most interesting of all the females in the Bible. In my mind, she is the ultimate picture of a woman’s power of influence.
Though we do not have the blow-by-blow details, for years my question has been, What did Eve do to convince Adam to eat? After all, God gave the command directly to him, saying "but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil..." (Genesis 2:17a).
So, WHAT did she do? and HOW was he drawn in?
- Did he concede due to constant nagging?
- Did he surrender in passion amidst a lap dance?
- Did he enjoy the delectable fruit smothered in red gravy?
Though we will never know the answer to my questions, we can learn a lot from this story. Just because something looks good, doesn't mean we have to indulge.
Tinted by a lens of deceit, the serpent's perspective appealed to Eve's emotional, psychological, and visual senses causing her to doubt God’s command and question His intentions. Be it greed, lust, pride or a desire to have the forbidden, a choice outside of God’s standard leads to some form of misfortune.
Our lives are filled with challenging people, situations, and circumstances all tempting us towards one decision or another. As women, our first approach is usually a quick response in word or deed. Let's be more careful to look beneath the surface of our senses to expose the truth.
If nothing else, Eve's story should encourage us to ask the following question: What should I do with what I see?
Challenge (consider these options first):
- Wait at least 24 hours before voicing opinions or making decisions
- Pray seeking God’s truth, perspective, and direction
- Listen to what God has to say
- Move according to God's direction