Cain,what have you done?

It was easy for Cain to just look down upon Abel’s gift to God. Probably, he saw himself better than his little brother but when put to the test he wasn’t. Cain’s gift went far but not as further as Abel’s. It wasn’t any contest but he placed himself in a competition with his little brother. If he was an observant person, he would have taken notes and see his little brother doing things with all his heart and selecting and giving the best he had. He could have learnt from the person he was “competing” with.

“Make sure you don’t attack an “Abel” lest you attract curses for yourself and the generations to come “

If I were Cain I would have known better not to pick up a fight with Abel. Abel was backed by the heavens. Even after he was murdered his blood spoke on his behalf – it cried out to God.

Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.
Isaiah 54:15 NKJV

Cain poked the apple of God’s eye and he had to face the repercussions. Before he threw a fit of jealousy, the Big Brother was supposed to do a background check on his little brother. A horde of curses now followed him and his descendants because of jealousy and touching God’s favourite.

Lessons

1.Do good and give your all. If you do well won’t you be accepted?

God spoke to Cain: “Why this tantrum? Why the sulking? If you do well, won’t you be accepted? And if you don’t do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it’s out to get you, you’ve got to master it.”
Genesis 4:6‭-‬7 MSG

2.You can watch and learn from the people you are fighting and competing with.

Ask yourself, where and how do I need to improve? Use the people around you not for comparison and competition but as a yardstick against which you can measure ways in which you can improve for the better.

If Cain was unpretentious enough he would go back to the drawing board and ask why God had taken delight and satisfaction in Abel’s offering. If God didn’t respond, He would also ask Abel what exactly he had done to have his gift accepted. Abel would have simply told him that he had selected the choice cuts of meat from the firstborn animals of his herd.

3.Jealous has a whole tribe of relatives -anger, hostility, indignation, bitterness, annoyance.

If you do well and do what is acceptable and pleasing, you will be accepted. And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is to overpower you, but you must master it and not let it have a hold over you.

4.Give God what is right and not what’s left(no pun intended)

God doesn’t owe us anything. If we give someone something we usually think they owe us. We expect them to return it or reciprocate.

Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine.
Job 41:11 NLT

There is nothing you can give to God that He doesn’t already own.

Lastly,

Do not let your emotions get the best out of you.

Feel free to add more lessons from the story of Cain and Abel☺