Genesis 4:1-7 NLT
Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, "With the LORD's help, I have produced a man!" [2] Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. [3] When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD. [4] Abel also brought a gift-the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift, [5] but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected. [6] "Why are you so angry?" the LORD asked Cain. "Why do you look so dejected? [7] You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master."
Here we see the trap of comparing ourselves with others.
I guess it can happen most often in families, or even in churches, where brothers and sisters vie for attention and subconsciously are in competition with each other.
Sin is very subtle, it doesn't always knock boldly on the door of the heart, but crouches down just waiting for a slight opening to sneak in.
In Cain's case, it was his perceived injustice that God made a favourite of Abel's offering and despised his one.
How much must he have dwelt on that and let it fester.
I'm sure it wasn't a spur of the moment action that caused him to kill Abel.
That jealousy and anger grew into a sinful plan to get rid of that "goody-goody" brother of his - with him out of the way perhaps God would accept him?
How deceptive sin can be - blaming someone else for our own shortcomings.
Cain's offering wasn't of the best of his crops, not the first fruits that the Lord deserved.
If he had taken God's rebuke seriously and examined his own heart, things could have turned out very differently.
It is a solemn warning to each one of us.
Goethe said: "I have never heard of a sin being committed without knowing full well that I had the seed of it within myself." He realised that sin crouched at his own door.
Hebrews 12:1 NLT
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Let's not compare ourselves to others, but keep our eyes on Jesus and follow His path for our lives to the best of our ability.
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