A Trade Imbalance

Genesis 25 ends the story of Abraham and begins that of Isaac. Oddly enough, considering the Isaac was the son of promise, we know relatively little about him. It’s as though we skip a generation and go from the patriarch Abraham to the story of his grandchildren, Esau and Jacob.

The twins had a pretty rocky relationship, aided and abetted by parents who showed too much favouritism.

Esau was the eldest—by a hair, or a heel—so to him went the larger portion of the family inheritance. It was a great privilege but one that Esau didn’t value. One day, coming home from the hunt, he came across Jacob cooking up a pot of stew. Esau was hungry and bartered away his inheritance for the price of a bowl of red lentils. The Scripture records: “So Esau despised his birthright” (25:34, NIV).

He threw away something of great value for something of little value.

I got to thinking about how this story applies to me. As a child of God I have huge privileges. But how often to I “give away” those privileges for something temporary and less satisfying in the long term?

How often do I give up time for intimacy with God for a computer game or a couple of hours in front of the TV?

How often do I have better things to do than Kingdom things?

How often do I spend my money on what “rust and moth” will eventually destroy (Matthew 6:19) rather than invest in missions or easing the suffering of those who have nothing?

How often do I pray about the physical well-being of others without giving any consideration to their spiritual well-being?

How often do I forget to be thankful for the blessings of God and take them for granted?

How often am I like the man who looks in the mirror and then turns and walks away without making any of the changes God has shown him (James 1:23)?

There might be more Esau in me than I’d care to admit.