Double Sin

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Symbol: Sneaking a Taste

Lesson: If we know some conduct is wrong and do it anyway, our guilt is compounded.

Illustration: A person walks in and immediately smells something delicious cooking. The cook smiles and says it is for dessert after dinner. The observer tries to sneak a taste and gets his hand slapped. "Don't touch that. You'll ruin it," says the cook. Then the cook leaves the room for a moment and the observer takes a second taste. The first taste may have been innocent enough, but now with the second taste, that person is guilty not only of taking something they weren't invited to try but also having completely disregarded the cook.

At Romans 7, we read the following:

8. But sin, finding the opportunity afforded by the commandment, worked out in me covetousness of every sort, for apart from law sin was dead.... 13. Did what is good result in my death? Certainly not! But sin did, that it might be shown to be sin working out death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment sin might become far more sinful.

Having the illustration of the person who snuck a taste in our minds, we can now appreciate at least one reason that the sins we commit are "far more sinful." Not only do we commit the sin, but having been informed that it IS a sin and committing it anyway, we add disobedience and pain God's heart with flagrant disregard for his feelings.

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Life Discoveries

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Symbol: Discovery & self-experience

Lesson: Being told the answer verses having “the light turn on” in our brain. The latter is more rewarding.

Illustration: Being at Yosemite and seeing Half Dome for yourself is leaps and bounds more awesome and impressive than seeing a picture of it. Experiencing the grandeur of our beautiful earth cannot be replaced with mere pictures or even videos. 3D / virtual reality devices try to bridge the gap but nothing beats actually being there. The same is true in learning lessons in life – whether it be the elementary learning we have in our school years, professional skills and appreciation of life, or the interpersonal skills we develop throughout our lifetime.

One skill a truly adept teacher has is knowing how to teach a subject (any subject) so that the student gets the thrill of understanding the subject as if they made a personal discovery. However, patience, skill, experience, and time make this form of teaching a rare commodity. Most people would rather just tell the student the answer, without trying to reason with them. Parents can start early by not being so quick to answer their child’s questions but instead helping them discover the answer. Telling the child will make them lazy. Helping the child discover will encourage their curiosity and invigorate their desire to learn. Making the process something the parent and child can do together, strengthens the bond between them. Children that early on learn to love learning will not need so much prodding as they progress through the school system.

But learning doesn’t stop there. Well into our adult life learning can be a rewarding and invigorating experience. Finding peers and/or mentors of the same mind will give a feeling of living a fulfilled life. Enjoy the discovery!

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Joy and Gratitude

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Symbol: Finding a dollar verses receiving a Gift

Lesson: Gratitude not felt by atheists and evolutionists

Illustration: If we find a dollar on the street and pick it up, we are likely happy that we found it, but since there was no real giver, we don't express gratitude. But if a friend gives us a gift, now both joy and gratitude are felt. Perhaps atheists and evolutionists can enjoy the beauties of nature to some extent. But those who appreciate nature is a gift from God have more than passing appreciation. The knowledge that our loving Creator made these deepens their love for him and they are grateful.

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