In Genesis 4 we glimpse life after Adam and Eve have eaten the fruit from the one tree they were told not to. Thinking of this as the Tree of Entitlement, rather than the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, makes more and more sense the more I reflect on it. ‘I want, I need, I deserve, what right has God got to deny me….’ Those are all powerful, strong drives.
We don’t know why Cain brought a sacrifice to God. It might have been out of gratitude for the gift of food. It might have been trying to get God to love him or bless him just a little bit more. It seems his brother Able brings his sacrifice with a better attitude. When God shows his pleasure with Abel, but not with Cain, Cain sulks. The first moment of grace is that God actually calls him out on this and warns him that he is on a bad heading. When people who love us give us a warning about our attitude or actions, we need to pay attention. Cain misses the invitation in that warning to talk about it with God. He misses owning his own hurt and bringing that to God. Instead, he nurses his resentment (there is the attitude of entitlement), lures his brother out, and kills him. Pure horrible.
God is still a God of grace and mercy. He is not vindictive, but sin has its own consequences. Cain can’t live with his family anymore, and he can’t be safe with any other people, because they know he is a murderer. God announces the consequences, and this time Cain gets it right. He doesn’t just hold it in. He tells God how that is for him, how he can’t live that way. God responds by marking him in a special way, so that everyone knows this murderer is still under God’s protection and love. That is amazing grace.
There is so much to pick up from this account which is initially so distressing.
1. Be aware, own what we are experiencing, or what is happening inside us. That is the key moment to stop, take a breath, become aware, before we rush into some instinctual reaction that will make things worse. Cain did learn to do that.
- Bring that awareness to God. It’s easy with the moments of awe or wonder. It’s just as vital with the moments that aren’t so nice or good – the ‘crazy’ thoughts, stuff that would make us look terrible if those around us could see what was going on inside us, the times we have no capacity to make things work. Be as honest as we can.
- Wait for God’s response. By simply entrusting ourselves, as we are, to God, we have opened ourselves up to grace and support. Cain received God’s mark of protection. You will receive God’s mercy in the way that is tailor made for you. New life will emerge
