In this passage, the curses that God pronounces against the serpent, woman, and Adam bring us back to the original callings he placed upon image-bearers. We are to be fruitful, but sin now twists this calling. Ecclesiastes calls the result “vanity, and a chasing after the wind.” Paul in Romans calls it “futility.” We try to work, and produce, and live—but the curse brings toil, pain, and eventually death. And yet Christ has overcome and is overcoming this curse. Because of his obedience and his death, we are freed to pursue God’s callings in our lives with all our might—whatever those callings might be.