Defanging The Lion

Sibling rivalry began at The Beginning. Cain's offering of "some of the fruits of the soil" was rejected by The Lord while Able's "fat portions of some of the firstborn of his flock" was accepted (See Gen 4:3-4).  

Instead of feeling guilt for his offer of mediocrity to The Lord, Cain felt shamed by his brother's offering of the best of his flock. Because he did not check his feelings or examine his actions, "sin was crouching at his door" (Gen 4:7) like "a lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Pet 5:8).

Contrary to Flip Wilson's once famous character, Geraldine, the devil didn't make him do it.  Instead "[he was] tempted when [he was] dragged away by [his] own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it [gave] birth to sin; and sin, when it [was] full-grown, [gave] birth to death …" (Jas 1:14-15).

However, to be sure, the devil was there crouching like a lion, waiting for the moment of weakness to pounce, taking advantage of Cain's lack of self-reflection and control. And, in the end, death came as the result of his unbridled sin. Death came to Able as he was separated from this life at his brother's hand and death came to Cain as God sent him away from his life with his family to wander the earth alone. 

When we say, "I just couldn't help myself," the truth is "we just didn't help ourselves or seek help for ourselves. With God's help, we can "resist the devil and he will flee from [us]" (Jas 4:7).  We are not and cannot be perfect (see Rom 3:10, 23), but, with God's help, we "can stand against the devil's schemes" (Eph 6:11), taking the teeth out of the lion crouching at our door. 

Jus' Sayn.