Read the whole article at When Cain and Abel Meet Again - Mockingbird (mbird.com)

This reflection originally appeared in today’s entry of Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, Vol. 2:

Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced a man with the help of the LORD.” Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell …
Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. (Gen 4:1-5, 8)

It can be very tempting to read the Old and New Testaments like a before-and-after home makeover: No one understood the space before the designers came in! What’s with the old carpets and wallpaper? Was this even a real house?………………………………………