Je Suis Eve!

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. He also created Adam and Eve and established them in a beautiful garden containing everything they would ever want, and lacking nothing they would ever need. It was a paradise, a happily ever after already, even though the story was just beginning. All of this was until Eve messed up.

At least, that’s what a lot of people think. I’ve heard many people cast aspersion retrospectively on Eve’s actions in the garden. Some people already have choice words they would like to share with Eve should they meet her in paradise. Less nice people don’t think they’ll be sharing paradise with such a character that put humanity in this quagmire.

I’ve heard many people imply that they would have done better than Eve in the garden. If you’re one of such people, the next time you’re about to shade Eve, remember this:

“…he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”

(John 8:7b, NLT)

Now, when Jesus made this statement, He wasn’t implying that the woman hadn’t sinned. He was trying to draw the attention of the scribes and Pharisees of how they were attempting to condemn sin in another person while they still had sins and faults they were harboring in the recesses of their hearts. They were trying to validate their righteousness by exposing the sin of another, and not their own that needed dealing with. Jesus condemned neither the woman nor the Pharisees, but He exposed the real problem of both parties: the problem of sin. How may this relate to you?

The proof of whether you would have fallen for the temptation that got Eve is not in the words of your mouth, it’s in the actions of your heart. You with the Holy Spirit within (and upon, and under, and countless other prepositions), what’s your stance when the seduction of temptation comes? When the devil comes to whisper lies, countering what God has spoken to you, how do you respond? How have you been responding? Has it been different from how Eve responded?

In the Garden of Eden, Eve had everything she needed (in a manner of speaking) to say “No” to the advances of the tempter. It’s the same way you have all you need to live a life of godliness by virtue of the Holy Spirit dwelling within. How differently have you fared?

This piece is not about whether Eve was at fault or not (the story of Adam and Eve is way beyond that). It’s not written to make you feel terrible either. It’s just a call to “take heed unto thyself.”

The Bible tells us that everything that was written was written for our learning. If all we do from the story of Eve is to condemn her actions, and we don’t apply any lessons to our lives, especially as regards dealing with temptations, we won’t be very wise people.