The teacher stood in front of us sixth-graders and asked, "If a tree fell in a forest and no one heard it, did it really make a sound?"

Our quizzical glances darting across the room reflected the absurdity of the question. The awkward silence was broken by a classmate who raised his hand and protested, "Of course it did!"

With a condescending smile the teacher replied softly, "How do you know? You weren't there." His response troubled and silenced us, but it was flawed. It left God out of the picture.

We had been given a religion lesson, and we didn't even know it. If there is a god, the teacher was saying, he knows nothing of falling trees. What should we do with such a blundering old fool? Ignore him! We can be our own gods. Nothing is real unless we experience it.

Furthermore, the teacher's question leads to matters of more importance than falling trees. If a baby is aborted and no one knows, did a child really die? If no one sees me cross the road to avoid a neighbor in distress, did I contribute to his death? If I secretly hate my neighbor, can anyone convict me of murder? If Abel is slain in a field and no one witnessed it, was he really murdered?

We cannot easily dismiss the questions. God knows.

God reads our hearts

When Cain murdered Abel, he thought he had buried his dirty little secret deep in the ground.

But God saw that murder in progress long before Abel's blood cried out to him. God asked Cain, "Why are you angry?" Murder was written all over Cain's heart.

Whether or not our unrighteous anger leads to someone's death, God recognizes it as murder and judges it accordingly. And you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

When you know where Cain's anger led, don't you want to just shake him by the collar and tell him to get a grip on himself? That's exactly what God did. God's words are written in Genesis 4:7 to warn us to turn to the Lord for forgiveness before our unholy anger can continue its coup d'tat in our hearts.

God reads our faces

Murder was written all over Cain's face as well. God knew Cain's heart. He didn't need to read his face. But God asked "Why is your face downcast?" to show that a murderous heart was barking orders to the rest of the body. The countenance falls; the lips dutifully cry, "You fool!" Fists may clench, nostrils flare, doors slam, or the silence becomes deafening.

Is God the only one who sees hateful eyes as windows to a hate-filled soul? Rarely does anyone intervene until fists are flying and there is a real risk of physical harm. But a fallen countenance may be the early symptom of a homicide in progress. If it is not the death of Abel, then it is the silent, everlasting death of Cain. No wonder the Almighty is so alarmed about the sin that crouches at our door!

God became our brother