Selling out in the moment
This week's much-awaited online Bibley-goodness is on Genesis 25:29-34:
These verses are a classic illustration of the cost of thinking only of the current moment. Esau is hungry. That's all he can think about. Jacob names an exorbitant price for his stew, and Esau accepts without hesitation. He can never earn back what he's given up in the moment, but he never stops to consider this. He just goes for what he wants, blindly, and he makes a bad decision.
In the movies, it's always easy. When the villain is trying to make you make a bad decision, there is always dramatic music and facial close-ups. When you're not supposed to open the cellar door, you know, because you have a whole theatre of people crying out "Don't open the door! Don't go in there!" In real life, there is only silence.
We often look at stories like this one, and imagine Esau making an informed but impulsive decision, after reading all of the fine print. In reality, failing before temptation can seem like a non-event. Esau was hungry, and he said what he needed to say in order to get fed. People who have dieted or fasted know how easily the appetite can take over reason and lead us to do things we swore we'd never do. Esau's decision was less of a decision to part with his birthright, and more of a decision to get food by any means possible.
Compare Esau's decision with Jesus' decision. Jesus had fasted for much longer than Esau, and would have been more justified in giving in. Check out Matthew 4:1-4:
Jesus recognized what was going on and resisted temptation. He made the perfect decision where Esau made the imperfect one. We are to be like Jesus. We have the power.
Esau thought only of his needs. He was ruled by his stomach. He lost out on a blessing by following his stomach's guidance to where it took him. Compare that to Jesus, our role model, who had eternity in mind. He knew his purpose, and he knew what Satan's advice would result in if he'd followed it. Jesus wasn't ruled by his stomach. Even when Satan joined forces with it, Jesus still stayed strong. His life was more than "I want what I want and I want it now."
Ask God to help you to see and understand the big picture. Ask to know your purpose. Ask for that eternal perspective. Don't follow something lesser than you, like a bowl of soup. Follow God almighty, who is greater than us all. He knows eternity, and can help keep us on track when we're caught up in the moment.
Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)
Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”
“Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”
But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
So Esau despised his birthright.
These verses are a classic illustration of the cost of thinking only of the current moment. Esau is hungry. That's all he can think about. Jacob names an exorbitant price for his stew, and Esau accepts without hesitation. He can never earn back what he's given up in the moment, but he never stops to consider this. He just goes for what he wants, blindly, and he makes a bad decision.
In the movies, it's always easy. When the villain is trying to make you make a bad decision, there is always dramatic music and facial close-ups. When you're not supposed to open the cellar door, you know, because you have a whole theatre of people crying out "Don't open the door! Don't go in there!" In real life, there is only silence.
We often look at stories like this one, and imagine Esau making an informed but impulsive decision, after reading all of the fine print. In reality, failing before temptation can seem like a non-event. Esau was hungry, and he said what he needed to say in order to get fed. People who have dieted or fasted know how easily the appetite can take over reason and lead us to do things we swore we'd never do. Esau's decision was less of a decision to part with his birthright, and more of a decision to get food by any means possible.
Compare Esau's decision with Jesus' decision. Jesus had fasted for much longer than Esau, and would have been more justified in giving in. Check out Matthew 4:1-4:
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Jesus recognized what was going on and resisted temptation. He made the perfect decision where Esau made the imperfect one. We are to be like Jesus. We have the power.
Esau thought only of his needs. He was ruled by his stomach. He lost out on a blessing by following his stomach's guidance to where it took him. Compare that to Jesus, our role model, who had eternity in mind. He knew his purpose, and he knew what Satan's advice would result in if he'd followed it. Jesus wasn't ruled by his stomach. Even when Satan joined forces with it, Jesus still stayed strong. His life was more than "I want what I want and I want it now."
Ask God to help you to see and understand the big picture. Ask to know your purpose. Ask for that eternal perspective. Don't follow something lesser than you, like a bowl of soup. Follow God almighty, who is greater than us all. He knows eternity, and can help keep us on track when we're caught up in the moment.
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