The Sad Side of Sin

And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but the fruit of the tree which is the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'"


Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die."


"For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."


So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.  She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.  Genesis 3:2-6 (emphasis added)



"the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable...."

Sin is deceitful.  It can seem pleasant and alluring.  It can seem like a moment of fleeting fun.  Can you hear the serpent?  Oh, come on....what harm will it do, just take a small bite?

My husband and I just came back from a beautiful island.  Its beauty is breath-taking.  During the day, the island is filled with people enjoying the sun and gorgeous clear-blue waters of the ocean.  However, during the night, the island beckons the vacationers to its night-life, enticing them to the lure of sin. 

Since we are not interested in the night-life, most nights we just stayed at our resort after sundown.  However, one night after a sunset cruise we walked down this street to return to our hotel.  Everyone seemed happy.  Everyone seemed to be having such a great time.  Then, I saw her.....

A young lady was sitting in an alley behind a bar.  She was dressed in a long black summer dress.  Her knees were pulled up close to her body with her arms tightly holding her knees to her chest.  Her hands covered her eyes.  She leaned her head forward  flipping her long black hair over to cover her face.  She rocked back and forth while violently crying. 

Oh, how my heart ached for her.  What had she been through that night?  What hurt had caused such a tormenting cry?  I wanted to run to her and put my arms around her and tell her it would be ok and that Jesus loved her.  I wanted to ask her if I could pray for her.  I did pray for her.  She may never know it, but I did. 

Sin may seem harmless in the moment.  Just a bite.  No one ever enters into sin with the intention of having a heart-break.  No one ever enters into sin realizing how far it could take them. 

Sin may seem pleasant to the eye.  It may seem good and desirable.  It may seem fun and without consequences, but as that girl sat in the alley....all I saw was the sad side of sin. 

The reality of sin.....it hurts. 
It will take you farther than you want to go, take more from you than you want to give,  and can lead you down a path that is difficult to break free from.


But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his desires and enticed.  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.  Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.  James 1:14-15


Yikes!  Do not be deceived.  Do not let Satan entice you and lie to you.  A bite will hurt.  No matter how pleasing to the eyes, there is always a sad and deadly side to sin.