Some thoughts about “yes” and “no”

There are probably no two words that have blessed my life more than the simple words “yes” and “no”. The former invites and permits; it is an open door. "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden...” God says in Genesis 2:16. This is the first thing he says to the man, the divine “yes”. Feel free to make yourself at home. Eat whatever you like. Enjoy.

As we go to God in prayer we should understand that his initial and persistent posture toward us is positive. This is what it means to ask in faith; not so much to think we’re going to get what we want, but to ask trusting that God is on our side and will give us what is good. He is not some celestial grouch who delights in frustrating our hopes and dreams, but a loving parent who delights in us, and in our well-being.

The other side of this coin, however, is the divine “no”, ...but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, " (Gen. 2:17a) This is the second thing that is said by the one who first said “yes”, and the “no” is contained within the “yes”. Eat anything you like, but not that. Go anywhere you please, except there.

“Yes” and “no” give shape and direction to our lives the way rules define and facilitate a game. You can play anywhere on the field, but this is the boundary line; if you step on or over the line you will be out of bounds. Hit the ball as far as you can, but this is the foul line. If the ball goes over this line it’s out of bounds and doesn’t count. And the line is to be taken seriously because it kills the play. “...for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (2:17b)

When the Serpent comes he will direct Eve’s attention to this parental prohibition, this divine “no”, and the spin he puts on the question is very interesting. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" (3:1) Of course what he had said is almost the direct opposite of this, and she understands perfectly well. "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" (3:2-3) It’s not that we can’t eat from any tree, we just can’t eat from every tree.

In her reflection on “no” she does two interesting things; she adds to it, “...and you must not touch it...”, and she lingers over it, When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom,... (3:6)

This, of course, is the beginning of temptation. We make “no” the focus of the matter; then we begin to doubt the goodness of God, or Mom and Dad, etc. “Why does she have to be so restrictive?”, we ask. “Why is everything so negative with him? Suppose I just nudge the sideline with my toe? What if I hit the ball just on the line, not over it? Maybe I’ll put just the tip of the knife in the electrical socket.”

This is the story of sin, and sin is bad. But there is a profound and quite fascinating ambivalence in the story as it unfolds. It is certainly the story of how we fall down, but it’s also the story of how we grow up. It’s how we discover who we are, and who God is. And if we continue to read we will discover something very surprising. Though it is in some sense good to always obey the rules, there is also something very special about the ones who play the entire field, right up to the line and sometimes over. Eve, Cain, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob, Moses, David, all play the entire field and cross the line from time to time, but it is they who drive the story forward. Jacob, for example, is called Israel, and God’s people are his descendants (the Children of Israel). And what is this name, “Israel”? The man (person) who struggles with God. (Genesis 32:28)

Of course we all must be obedient, take “no” for an answer; God is God. But life is far more interesting than that. I never hit a foul ball or step out of bounds on the sidelines, because I don’t play baseball or football any more. But no one ever became a great player by not breaking the rules. You become great by learning not to break the rules, by learning to play the whole game within the rules.

I am not belittling the seriousness of sin, or suggesting that obedience is unimportant. I’m simply saying that growth is a process. Eve’s mistake began when she allowed her focus on the rules to replace her panoramic vision of the garden; her vision of the game.

We play the game and stay in bounds. And when we step out of bounds we take the “no” we have coming. Then we get back on he field, keep playing the game and staying in bounds. And we love the game because it's wonderful!