"The Apple of God’s Eye" - Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7 - February 17, 2002

Sometime this past winter I was having a conversation with a man about the weather. We both commented how moderate it has been, the fact there has been practically no snow here in Ohio. He then said, "We’re going to pay for this." I didn’t agree with him so he changed the subject and we talked about other things.

I was thinking about his statement and I wonder why people believe that. Is it because things have been going good for us and therefore God is going to get even? Apparently the concept of retribution is still with us. Traditionally, the concept of retribution got its start in Genesis. After Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit their lives would be different from then on. God told Eve that childbirth would be painful and that her husband would rule over her. God told Adam he would have to work hard and live off the land. And he told them both they would eventually die and turn to dust.

This has been called the "original sin" or "the fall." Many people believe Adam and Eve were being punished for eating from the "tree of knowledge." In other words, they broke the rules, got out of bounds, or took advantage of God’s generosity. And since they disobeyed, God responded by making their lives difficult thereafter. That has always puzzled me since one of the things God gave we humans is the freedom to make choices. Since God gave us this freedom God must expect us to make choices, some of which have negative consequences and others which have positive consequences.

The idea that God punishes us for our mistakes does not compute with my understanding of a God who is gracious. Nor does it makes sense that God would create us, give us a garden to live in, then punish us because we didn’t listen. If one of your children misbehaves you would probably punish them by giving them "time out" or sending them to their room without television privileges. You then say to them, "I’m doing this for your own good." Or, "When you grow up you will understand."

I believe that the story of Adam and Eve can be interpreted differently. Suppose God is not punishing them at all. Instead, suppose God is like a parent, removing something from their reach because they can’t handle it. In other words, the whole story is not about the retribution of God but an example of the painful process of growing up.

The reason they were told not to eat of the tree of knowledge was they couldn’t handle it. Its similar to when you tell a young child not to touch a hot stove. What does the child do? He/she touches it anyway, and gets burnt. That is just one exercise in the process of growing up. We learn by our choices, good and bad.

But what about the serpent? First of all, let us remember that God created the serpent too. Traditionally we think of the serpent as evil or even the devil. But all the serpent does is do what any peer would do. "Oh, go ahead, it won’t hurt you." All of us have heard those words before. Its not that we are being tempted to do something wrong or illegal. Its that we are challenged with an opportunity that will enable us to grow. All the serpent did was make them aware of their options. There was no arm twisting or coercion. Eve isn’t even afraid of the serpent. He is just a creature in the garden. He was put their by God just as Adam and Eve. For Eve, the serpent is just a natural part of her world.

You’re probably thinking, "But, the serpent tells them if they eat of the tree their eyes will be opened and they will be like God." True, however didn’t God say we are to live in God’s image? Doesn’t God want us to know the difference between good and evil? Until this point Adam and Eve didn’t have to make any decisions for themselves. Now that their eyes are opened they see the world through the eyes of God. Now they realize they have to live in a world where they have to make choices.

All God has done is do what every parent does; set a limit for God’s children and like all children, they wanted more. And since they now have the freedom to make choices they are now accountable for their decisions. Its not that they have been bad and need to be punished. Its because they have sampled a small portion of the awesome responsibility that God has for the world.

Growing up is a painful experience. We all learn from our mistakes and live with the consequences of our choices. God knows it is a burden to live with the reality of good and evil. Life doesn’t exist in a garden where everything is done for us and everything is perfect. Life exists in the imperfect world where we are challenged.

Once Adam and Eve ate the fruit and their eyes were opened they suddenly realized they were naked. Not naked in the sense that they were ashamed, but naked in the sense that they now understood how vulnerable they were. The more growing and mature we are the more we realize how helpless we are, that many things are beyond our control and the only way to survive is to know we need God.

After God tells Adam and Eve that life in the future will be a struggle God then kicks them out of the garden of Eden. Its similar to when a bird pushes her baby out of the nest. They have no choice but to fly. Otherwise they will fall to the ground and die. Adam and Eve have learned all they can in the garden. Its now time for them to go live their lives.

As we grow we are faced with many critical decisions; careers, marriage, major purchases, retirement, etc. All these involve responsibility and we have to live with the consequences of our decisions. What about growing in faith? We may think our faith is mature until we are faced with a tragedy or crisis.

This past week our nation was told to be on the alert for another terrorist attack. So far, nothing has happened. But, the tragedy of September of 11th has really helped us to see just how vulnerable we really are. Consequently our government is taking steps to assure our safety and protect our borders. We have learned many lessons. One of which is the fact that being a superpower of the world includes added responsibility. Like it or not we have been forced to leave the "garden" of the mainland and venture out into foreign lands. It is simply another example of the growth process.

We weren’t being punished by God as some careless preachers proclaimed. It happened because there are unfortunately people in the world who made choices which had negative consequences both for our nation and ultimately for themselves. They had no faith since they had no conscious. Consequently they will never know God.

We grow in our faith when we make choices that have positive consequences, both for our world and ourselves. We grow in our faith when we believe in a God who is gracious and not standing by ready to "pay us back, or punish us" for every mistake. We grow in our faith when we realize our vulnerability and live our lives as though totally dependent on God.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church or Christ, Sidney, Ohio