Day 2: The First Sin

"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.  She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it."  Genesis 3:6

Main Character:  Adam and Eve
Scripture:  Genesis 2:4 - 3:24
Symbol:  Apple

Being a parent, I am now more aware than ever before of the result of that day in the Garden.  We have entered what some call the "terrible twos."  A good friend of ours commented that they begin now and end when your child is eighteen.  If I am completely honest, it is amazing how fast I can go from being completely enamored with my son to wanting to go hide in another room when he starts a tantrum.  These moments are not often, but they do occur. 

These times give me a glimpse into what God must have felt when Eve then Adam took a bite of the forbidden fruit.  Before those bites everything was literally perfect.  There was no shame, no guilt, no anger, no regret, and no tantrums.  One small decision changed everything.

I would argue that this is the most important piece of scripture we will read over the next several weeks.  Without the first sin there would be no need for Christmas.  Fortunately, our awesome God had a plan in place to bridge the gap that immediately formed when He found himself separated from the pinnacle of His creation.

Ponder Points:

• Use today's scripture lesson to begin the discussion of what sin is with your family.  This is can be extremely difficult concept to understand.  Depending on the age of your children, keep it as simple as possible.  Ask them to describe a time when they felt scared, lost, or alone.  Can they remember a time when they disobeyed you? 
• With your older children, take it a step further by discussing instances in our community or world where they see the result of this separation from God.
• Consider this - Adam and Eve made one small decision that changed the course of history.  Discuss the good and bad choices you have made along the way that have impacted your life.
• Above all else, it is important to remind our families today that we have been separated from God, and the baby Jesus will be the "unlikely one" that will bring us back together.