The story of Adam and Eve is given to us to explain the mystery of good and evil.  In the story, God gives Adam and Eve life and then adds a seemingly strange commandment: “Do not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” 

What God was saying to them is, "I am giving you life. It's a gift, enjoy it." God even told them to: "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. I give you dominion over all the earth.”  God was telling them, and us, to receive life as a gift, not as something we can acquire.  

The original sin was a failure to respect the gift.  Taking the apple represents the sin of wanting to be in control.  The original sin was a failure in gratitude, a failure to appreciate the gift. 

It is so important we realize everything is gift, including life itself.  Nothing should be acquired as if it was ours by right. It's all gift. The highest compliment someone can give to the gift-giver is to enjoy the gift thoroughly.  The highest praise we have to give to our God, our Creator, is to enjoy the gift of life indeed. 

That is why Jesus during his time with us didn't need anything and lived so simply, he understood the gift. We all need to let go of the need to acquire – to take – and simply receive God’s gift of life.