That None Should Perish

July 13, 2026

Two friends are walking together, looking and watching.

Bored. Not much to do.

Not accountable to anyone or anything.

“Oh, look! Let’s see what we have here!” Exclaims the first. It’s a small house with a fenced garden. Inside the garden is a tree full of fresh plums. Juicy, sweet plums ready to be picked!

They go to the house. Knock on the door, no one answers.

The first friend, “No one is home. Let’s go.”

The second, “Let’s try the gate.”

“No, that’s not right. Let’s go.” Says the second.

The first insists and starts to open the gate. The second tries to stop him but it is too late, his friend is inside and picking a plum.

“No, let’s get out of here!” The second says as he grabs a plum, knowing that it is not right.

God gave us Free Will. What we do with free will is up to us, totally, unconditionally. He loves us that much that He allows us to do what we want, but there will always be either consquences or rewards.

 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

¹² The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

¹³ Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Eve. She blamed the serpent proudly.

Adam. Proudly blamed the woman. And blamed God for putting her there.

You have just met the two oldest friends ever, Shame and Pride.

Shame comes after you do what you know is wrong. You know it is wrong and you do it anyway. There are 2 paths that you can choose, and it is all up to you.

Repent and give it to Jesus.

Or, try and to forget about it. Hide it and let it eat at you.

Pride. Can be deadly as it often disguises itself as being right. Right at any cost. Not willing to admit what you did. Pride takes over quickly as no matter what you did it was justifiable. Pride tells you it is okay, nothing will happen, and you are RIGHT!

There is a a way to separate those 2 friends from you.

The best thing to do is to admit your sin. Not just to yourself.

But also to the person you hurt. To ask for forgiveness, and to be honest. As Matthew 5:23 teaches that if you are presenting an offering at the altar and remember that someone has a grievance against you, you should leave your gift there, go and reconcile with that person first, and then return to offer your gift.