So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Genesis 3:6
After hearing the lies of the serpent, Eve made some value judgments. First, she judged that the fruit on the Tree of Knowledge was pretty and desirable. Second, she judged that the wisdom promised by the serpent was more valuable than being faithful to her creator.
I am sure the fruit was pretty. I am sure it looked delicious. And who does not want to be wise? It is one of the things about Solomon that sets him apart. He desired it, and God granted it. But Solomon was not sinless, and one could argue that he made some major value judgments that went against the value of his creator.
So, as I consider Genesis 3:6 and Eve’s value judgments, I see two simple Maxims for life.
- Not everything that looks good is good for us.
- Wisdom without holiness is a falsehood.
The Bible teaches that true wisdom flows from the fear of God (Job 28:28, Prov 1:7, 9:10). A holy life follows. But to become wise and full of knowledge does not result in becoming holy. There is a difference between the wisdom our society values and the wisdom that God desires us to have. Our society values wisdom born out of intelligence and experience. God values wisdom born out of fear of Him, which promotes holy thoughts, attitudes, and actions.
Interestingly, Eve thought she would become wise just as her fear of the Lord was diminishing. It just does not work that way.
As an aside, Adam’s actions haunt men to this day. It seems he was there as a witness to the serpent’s deceit and Eve’s move toward disobedience. But he said and did nothing. He sat passively, heard the lie, watched the fall, and then willingly followed. And men everywhere, myself included, are guilty of being passive in the home and the church. And both are suffering because of it.
So, perhaps a third maxim should be: Godly men actively lead others to live godly lives at home and in the church.
