“Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God asked the woman, ”

“What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”

Genesis 3:11-13

Though the consequences were exorbitantly greater, Adam’s big mistake was not unlike many of our own. We know what we should do and what we shouldn’t do, but we allow the voices of those around us to negatively influence our behavior. Eve was deceived by the serpent; Adam was negatively influenced by Eve. Aside from the fact that Adam blamed God for giving him Eve, rather than taking responsibility, his choice to ignore God’s command changed history. 

A hundred years ago, people weren’t bombarded with constant information and influence. Most communities were small, there were no TV’s, no computers, no Internet…and no social media! But today, thousands of voices vie for our attention every single day—trying to convince us, convert us, and control us. 

The only way to prevent getting pulled this way by one opinion, and pushed that way by another, is to keep your eyes on the right example. When Jesus is your focus, and you fill up on His Word, there is no room for confusion. No messages from social media, entertainment, classrooms, or friends can pull your heart in the wrong direction if it’s firmly connected to His. 

Pride is believing that you know better than God, that your own wisdom and desires are right. Eve fell into that trap, and Adam followed. The consequences of living your own way and following the popular path, can easily destroy you. God’s way, however unpopular in today’s world, leads to peace. Choose wisely. You are loved! 

Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. Proverbs 30:5