When you hear the story about Adam and Even
in the garden of Eden, the first thing you think of is who is to blame for
eating those apples! That is where it all began, or so we’re told. We either blame Eve for her curiosity: she
did what she was told not to do
(sounds like a true woman to me!) Then there was Adam, who followed Eve blindly
without considering the consequences (a man is not a stone you know).
But my interest does not lie with Adam and
Eve, or by trying to find who is to blame.
My interest lies with the tree. I
always wondered why it was called the “tree of the knowledge of good and
evil”. Why did God say they would surely
die if they would eat or even touch this tree?
Isn’t knowledge good? Isn’t it
good to know what is good and what is evil?
Surely it will allow us to make wiser choices in future, and it will
give us better perspective?
Think for a minute what has this
‘knowledge’ done to us. People are
judging each other for being either good or evil. We judge each other's actions, feelings and
even thoughts. We do not like people who
are different from us. We do not accept
one another for who we are, because we have this wonderful tool of judgment according to our own ‘knowledge’ and
‘wisdom’. We judge ourselves
according to others accomplishments, and the verdict is either failure, or success.
Judging people can be tiring
sometimes. It’s a great responsibility
you place on yourself. Just when you ‘labeled’
or judged someone as bad, they turn around and surprise you with a heavenly
action, and vice versa! For
example: It is confusing when someone
that steps out of a prison risks his own life to save a child from being run
over by a car. Or, the Minister that watched
you grow up and was supposed to care the most of all people, turn his back when
you really needed help. When things like
this happens, you will find yourself on a yo-yo. “Now he's good… now he's bad… now she's good… now
she's bad…”. It will go on forever if you
do not stop judging. People can never be
what you want them to be. Someone is
either your friend through thick and thin, not only when they do as you would
like them to do.
Think what it would be like if we did not
know this tree of knowledge existed at all! What do you think the world would
be like if you couldn’t judge? Forget
for a moment about crime and cruelty.
I’m talking about simple human judging.
Judging others on their looks, the way they react, the way they live, or
even their past. If you could for one
moment imagine life without the judgment you place on others and on yourself,
you will imagine a life without crime and cruelty. If we could really look at people with open
eyes, looking for that other fellow human being, you would see no one as your
enemy anymore. Only confused souls
looking for a place of belonging.
Gossip is one of the most frequently outlets
of mankind to judge people according to our preferences. Next time you want to say something bad about
someone, ask yourself what will you get from this action. Does it pleases you to run others down to
make you look important? All people are equal, whether you like it or not. To judge each other on our differences, is to
tell God we do not like His creativity.
Every human being is special, and so much care has been taken to create
them. Do not destroy God’s work. Treat every person as if they already live
out their full potential, and you will help to make them the best person they can
be.
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