I believe that life is lived looking forward but understood looking back. Many times we can have a greater understanding of what is occurring within our lives, families, relationships, communities and nation if we spend some time analysing our past.
Who I am today was shaped by what occurred in my past and the same is true for you. As a youth leader and a teacher, I have experienced young people with significant behavioural problems, from anger to disrespect to aggression and opposition to correction.
Whenever we sit down to discuss their problems with them or their parents, one of the first things that is done is to discuss their past to see what could have contributed to their present condition.
This same approach can be found in cases where investigations are being done when there are issues in construction projects or marriage conflict, or the potential collapse of a company or even a struggling economy. The past more often than not holds the key to understanding the problem. If you can find out at what stage the source of the “breakdown” or the “problem” occurred, then you have a better chance of understanding the solution required.
I read the newspapers and watch the news and many times my heart is broken at some of the stories being reported. Fraud, dishonesty, promiscuity, adultery, murder, robbery, slander, manipulation, abuse of power, violence and corruption seem to be the norm. We have tried numerous programmes, policies and laws and although these are good and have their place, their impact isn’t sufficient.
All of the social ills we are experiencing and observing are the fruits produced from the wicked heart of mankind. If we are to understand how to solve the problem, it may be wise to go back to the beginning where it all started. Maybe, just maybe, the past may reveal something about our present.
Let’s take a look at the Book of Genesis – where it all began. Chapter 2 verses 15-17: The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eatd of it you shall surely die.”
There are many trains of thought as to why God commanded mankind not to eat of the tree, one being a test of obedience, but I want to introduce a new one that was influenced by the writings of Ravi Zacharias. Once man ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it meant he would have exposed himself to the knowledge and struggle of “morality” (distinction between right and wrong – see Chapter 3:5). The scriptures tell us that as soon as their eyes were opened, they realised they were naked and hid themselves. One of the fruits of immorality is shame.
God is the author and since mankind was made in His image, He has passed on this characteristic to us. Look throughout history and you will see the many things man has “authored”.
Although mankind was not the author of creation, due to their action in the garden, mankind now wants to become the author of morality. In essence we want to do what we want, when we want, where we want and how we want, which has led to chaos, confusion, death, limitation, war and pain. As a result of Adam and Eve’s action in the garden, hundreds if not thousands of laws had to be created over the years to govern behaviour and set a basis for “right and wrong”.
Interestingly enough, this first “immoral act” separated mankind from God while the second ‘immoral act’, when Cain killed Abel, separated mankind from mankind. To support this theory, we can take a look at the Ten Commandments. The first four address our moral commitment to God and the other six, our moral commitment to each other. If separation, perpetuated by immorality, has been a major contributor to the issues facing our nation, what is the solution?
To be continued . . . .
• Corey Worrell is a former Commonwealth Youth Ambassador. Email coreyworrell@gmail.com.
