"The Appeal of the Forbidden"

BIBLE READING: Genesis 2. 15-17, 3. 1-6

V.6 – So when the woman saw that the tree was pleasing to the eyes … she took of its fruit.

The story is told about a young child that was being cared for by a baby sitter while the mother worked in the office of her home. When the child saw this beautiful vase in the china cabinet, he wanted it. When the baby sitter refused to give it to him he began crying, screaming and kicking. When his mother heard him she came into the room to see what was going on. Picking up her precious little boy she said, “What do you want darling?” He pointed to the vase in the china cabinet, so his mother took it out and gave it to him and went back to work. Not long after that the child started screaming again and the mother came back and said, “Now what does my little darling want?” Between sobs the little boy says, “I want — I want,” and then he blurted out, “I want anything I’m not supposed to have!”

The desire for what is off-limits is not confined to spoiled children. It reflects a tendency in all of us that goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. The fruit of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” was forbidden, and that fact very likely enhanced its appeal.

When we as Christians try to live according to the principles laid out in the bible, we recognize that many things that today’s society sees as fun and gratifying are in fact forbidden by the Word of God. But all too often the forbidden creates even more desire. It is therefore, most important that we know what the will of God is so we can identify evil allurements and resist temptations.

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  (Ephesians 6:10-11)

All too often we like to keep our eye on the temptation while praying not to be led into it.