Origins of the Soul: A Psychological Journey Through Genesis
Sharing is Caring
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Genesis 3:6
The nature of sharing is instinctive. Good news, bad news, our business, someone else’s, what scares us, what excites us … etc. It almost feels like an impulsive reaction to information; we share it. Hoarding the information in our minds probably would make us feel overwhelmed or jittery. Sharing feels like it is a core part of us being created, and it is.
It’s connective tissue to intimacy.
In Genesis, we see a downside to sharing. Eve shared what she believed to be good and felt inclined to share with her husband. Her desire of sharing the fruit was to share what she believed that fruit could do for her. She perceived the tree as having the ability to make her wise, so what is the inherent issue with her sharing? The short answer is that she wasn’t even meant to have it in the first place, because God instructed them not to eat of that particular tree.
Like the person who offers “just one hit” of a destructive drug to a friend, because it feels good to them, and the high brings some kind of personal satisfaction. They don’t realize that the friend carries a family history of addiction, even a genetic predisposition. Just because something satisfies you, even if you know it’s wrong, doesn’t give you the right to share it with someone else. What comforts or excites you in the moment might carry a cost someone else can’t afford.
When we share things that we were not supposed to even expose ourselves to, then we are sharing in sin, deception, and death. That is the crux of sharing and even receiving.
Let’s first explore why we enjoy sharing.
Why We Share
1. Social Bonding
At our core, humans are social beings. Sharing—whether it’s stories, food, experiences, or emotions builds trust and connection. It’s how we form families, communities, and cultures. From an evolutionary perspective, those who shared and cooperated were more likely to survive.
2. Sense of Meaning and Purpose
Sharing gives people a sense that their experiences or resources have value beyond themselves. Whether it's knowledge, pain, joy, or faith, giving it to others can make life feel more purposeful.
3. Validation and Identity
When people share, they often seek to be seen, known, and understood. It’s a way of saying "This is who I am." The response we get whether acceptance, affirmation, or even challenge, helps shape our self-concept.
4. Emotional Relief
Sharing painful experiences or deep emotions lightens the load. This is why confession, therapy, journaling, and prayer can feel healing. Emotional pain stored in isolation often grows, but spoken aloud, it begins to lose its grip.
5. Cultural and Generational Continuity
Stories and lessons are passed down through sharing. Whether through oral tradition, writing, or casual conversations, sharing ensures that values, beliefs, and memories endure.
6. Reciprocity and Mutual Benefit
When we share knowledge or resources, we often receive something in return—help, insight, or empathy. Sharing sets up a natural rhythm of give-and-take that strengthens communities.
7. Spiritual and Existential Longing
In Christian tradition and many others, sharing is a form of love a reflection of God’s generosity. We share because we were created to give. Christ’s life was about self-giving, and believers often share as a form of worship, witness, or obedience.
A Better Way to Share
We are created to share, to give, because we are made in the image of a giving God. Reflecting on how Jesus shared and gave through the Gospels, we have an example of the best way to give. Give generously, truthfully, and let it be void of sin. If there is no sin issue to consider when sharing, then I would consider if the thing you are sharing is life-giving. Gossiping is not life-giving, though emotional processing is necessary; weeding out the jabs to character that gossiping often leads to is a better way to share frustration.
Sharing a social media post that might frustrate you because of how corrupt, irritating, or damaging it is. Consider the reaction that you had and reflect on if you want to share, knowing that they may also feel the same.
We are called to share what gives hope, life, truth, and love. Before sharing, especially in moments of frustration or passion, it’s worth asking: Does this reflect the heart of God? Not everything that stirs us is meant to be spread. Some things are better prayed over than posted or shared. Sharing can either stir up fear or stir up faith. Let’s choose the kind of sharing that builds up, encourages, and reflects the goodness we’re called to think on, just as Philippians 4:8 reminds us.
Phillipians 4:8
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.