A rather strange name for a man to use. For this reason, I will be only using this name for this post. I felt it necessary to change my name because I haven’t changed my behavior. The luciferin temptation to worship my intellect, define my existence, to create my own boundaries of right and wrong, has slithered its way into who I am.

It was only one bite.

It looked so appealing, how could I pass it up? There it was in front of my eyes. It had a shine to the skin that beckoned. I could almost taste it before I bit in. I could almost feel its sweet nectar dancing on my tastebuds. I could imagine the effect it would have on me, its masticated power further broken down by my digestive system into the nutritional components that would soon feed my desire to rule over me.

It was all I needed to become who I believe I should be.

God, who needs God? He’s nice and all. He comes in handy when I can’t do it on my own. Still, wouldn’t it be nice if I could function outside of His rigidity. Maybe I could replace Him? Maybe with this one small bite, He would become irrelevant and my well developed knowledge of good and evil would be complete. Cut out the middleman so to speak.

I wouldn’t have to go to Him.

Think of all the time I would save! Not only time but all the unnecessary limits and boundaries. If I know right from wrong, I can define the edges of truth and the limits of my existence. For that matter, everyone could. Imagine each person free from God, free of God, stretching to be more without needing more, more than themselves. It’s not that we would be God but rather be like God, would He not be happy with this? After all, isn’t mimicry the highest form of flattery?

I think that’s what the talking snake was trying to say.

I can be like God, like the creator of all things. I am one bite away from being all I can be. I take a big bite of whatever comes along. If it looks good, I’m all in, if it looks bad, I avoid it. I use my intellect to define my existence, to create my own boundaries of right and wrong, and I believe I’m doing a pretty good job. As a matter of fact, I have invited others to do the same, to take a bite of life, to determine who and what they are, to be like God, to be their own God just like that nice snake told me to do.

In my intellectual brilliance, I have found a slight flaw in the plan.

I can only assume my namesake in this plan, her husband and the rest of human existence has found the same flaw. Without an ultimate authority to set the limits, someone has to. That someone is me, that someone is you, that someone is everyone. Everyone defines right and wrong based on their likes and dislikes, their desires and what repulses them. I define right and wrong based on my likes and dislikes, my desires and what repulses me. Turns out it’s not the same for everyone. I do believe that I am right. When I take a bite out of life, I take the right bite leaving what I consider the wormy fruit behind. On the other hand, others seem to like the wormy fruit. It is the basis for arguments and even fights.

If only there was a way to settle this.

I am Eve. I am the eater of what seemed to be the best way to live. I am Eve. I was created to abstain from what I believe to be the best way. I am Eve, commanded to let God determine right from wrong, truth from lies, good from evil but the fruit of self-determination has a shine to the skin that beckons me. I can almost taste it before I bite in. I can almost feel its sweet nectar dancing on my tastebuds. I can imagine the effect it will have on me, its masticated power broken down by my digestive system into the nutritional components that would feed my desire to rule over me and others. I shouldn’t bite but I do because I am Eve and God, well, He just seems to get in the way.

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12 (NIV)