Sir, It's Pride. It's Pride, Sir.

bryce-ology = A language unique to Bryce Waugh.

sir-ding-a-lot = A nickname given to me, courtesy of a recent bryce-ology.

It was a typical Saturday, probably running from one soccer game to another. The gas tank was on empty so we stopped at our gas station to fill up. I remember bumping the side of the car with the nozzle before filling up. Without thinking anything about it, I filled up the car with gas and climbed back into the drivers seat only to hear laughter from the rest of the family. "What's so funny?" Evidently, when I bumped the car with the nozzle Bryce was quoted as saying,"Way to go, Sir Ding-A-Lot".

Fast forward with me a month or two. I began to notice that Bryce began ending his sentences with "Sir". I was really impressed. Imagine your child finishing each conversation with "Yes, sir" without any instruction to do so. I prefer being called dad, and didn't understand where this new behavior was coming from. I was not going to discourage it...just curious as to why the sudden change. I then began noticing that Bryce would begin his sentences with "Sir". "Sir, may I go ride my bike?" "Sir, what's for supper?" "Sir, do I have to take a shower tonight?" No matter how he addressed me...the emphasis was always on the word "sir".

With a little bit of pride, I finally decided to ask Bryce why he started using "Sir" all of the time.

Bryce's quote..."Ooooh, you know dad....you're Sir-Ding-A-Lot!"

Sir Ding-A-Lot? Seriously? Consider briefly what this meant..."Sir Ding-A-Lot, may I go ride my bike?" "Sir-Ding-A-Lot, what's for supper?" "Sir Ding-A-Lot, do I have to take a shower?" "Bryce, do you have your homework completed?", I would ask. His response was not, "Yes, Sir", it was "Yes, Sir Ding-A-Lot!"

It's amazing how pride can get the best of us. Let's continue in Genesis today and consider this question...Where did evil come from? Before we answer that question let's look at the players in the answer. The tree. The garden. The woman. The serpent. The serpent is the tricky one. Was the serpent the devil?

Genesis 3:1 "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild anivals the Lord God has made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

Let's use a little common sense. God did not create the evil devil. He did however create the serpent who was more crafty (wise) than any of the wild animals. Second, did the serpent do anything wrong in asking the first religious question? In his (serpent) wisdom he is almost pondering "Did God really say?" He seems to be insinsuating that a loving God could not possibly place limitations on his creatures the he had placed in the beautiful garden. That leads us to ask where the devil came from? That's another blog. For now, we have a wise serpent, a tree that Adam and Eve were commanded not to eat from, and Eve.

I think most of us have a picture of Eve walking right up to the tree, yanking an apple off the tree and eating every bite of it immediately with juice running down her arm. Doubtful. Eve clearly knew that God made it clear that death would result from eating the fruit. Consider this theory. Day 1 - She walks towards the tree...no death. Day 2 - She stretches her arm out as to pick the fruit, but doesn't...no death. Day 3 - She touches the fruit, but quickly jerks her hand away...no death. Day 4 - She touches the fruit and considers picking it, but does not...no death. Day 5 - She picks the fuit and takes it home...no death. Day 6 through Day 15 she looks at the fruit, sometimes holding it...the fruit never spoils...no death. Day 16 - After days of holding, touching, looking, admiring, she taste the fruit...no death. Adam eats as well...no death...then in the cool of the day...

It's a large word. Dissensitization.

James 1:14-15 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Sound familiar? James was merely describing the same process Eve went through in the garden...and the same process we go through today.

Evil? It's really quite simple. It came from our own desire to be like God. To know all, to be all. I believe the tree in one way or another symbolized pride.

We can't blame the devil for this mistake. This one falls squarely on us.

What's next? I rather enjoy the nickname. "Sir Ding-A-Lot" to the rescue! Until next time...