Scientists have long debated the issue of “nature vs. nurture” — that is, am I the person I am because of the way I was born, or because of the influences of my environment?

There are good arguments to be made on either side of the question. Certainly, inherent factors play some role in shaping us. An extraordinarily tall person’s experiences will necessarily be different from those of a much shorter person — the first might be able to pursue a career in professional basketball, the second might become a jockey or race car driver, but not the other way around. A woman’s life will be different in many respects from a man’s; a left-handed person’s from one whose right hand is dominant.

It’s also true that our environment and experiences have a significant impact on the person we become. Would anyone question that the worldview of a child who grew up in an abusive home will take a different form from that of a child raised by loving parents? Will not a child surrounded by bigotry, perversion, or atheism take on a different perspective than one brought up in an environment where these attitudes are not present? Even more basically, a child raised in wealth in America will probably turn out differently — perhaps positive in some ways, and negative in others — than one raised in Third World poverty.

The question, then, is not whether nature or nurture has the greater effect. Clearly, both play a role. But what does the individual do in light of these effects?

Cain and Abel were brothers. Both grew to manhood in identical surroundings — there were, at the time, no other surroundings to be found. Why then did Abel obey God’s law regarding sacrifice, and Cain disobey? It’s impossible to say definitively, based on the information given us. But the Scriptural conclusion is clear — when in come to our individual responsibility, what matters to God far more than either nature or nurture is choice.

God said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Genesis 4:6-7). Note that God did not discuss with Cain his inherent qualities or abilities, or lack thereof. Nor did He refer to Cain’s background or life experience. God addressed Cain’s choice of action: if Cain did right, God would approve him; if Cain did wrong, he would commit sin. And God made certain that Cain knew that he possessed the power to choose wisely: “you should rule over it.”

Like Cain and Abel, Esau and Jacob were two very different brothers. Jacob and Esau, in fact, were more than just brothers — they were fraternal twins. They were different in part because of inbred factors: Esau, born covered with red hair, grew into a mighty specimen and a great hunter; Jacob was mild, and his aptitudes lay in less physical pursuits. They were also different because of environmental factors at home: Esau was preferred by their father Isaac; Jacob was the favorite of their mother Rebekah.

But when Esau abandoned the way of righteousness and became “profane” (Hebrews 12:16), he could blame neither nature nor nurture, but only his own poor choices: “For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears” (Hebrews 12:17).

There are things about yourself you cannot change (Matthew 5:36, 6:27; Luke 12:25). You can’t change the characteristics with which you were born. You can’t change the environment in which you grew up, or the experiences of your past. What you can change is what you’re doing right now. You can decide to follow Jesus and obey His commands (Acts 10:34-35). Will you?