Some choices we make seem pretty arbitrary--your life is probably not going to be seriously changed if you choose to wear red tomorrow instead of blue. But if you had to choose between eating dinner or living the life you were destined to live, my guess is that you'd pick the latter...right? Right?
I hope so. But many times, I think we're tempted to make decisions that seem right at the moment, but can totally take us off track from what's best for the long term. In today's passage, a story about Esau and his younger brother, Jacob, illustrated this human dilemma:
Esau said to Jacob, "Give me some of that red stew—I'm starved!"...
Jacob said, "Make me a trade:
my stew for your rights as the firstborn."
Esau said, "I'm starving! What good is a birthright if I'm dead?"
Jacob said, "First, swear to me."
Esau said, "I'm starving! What good is a birthright if I'm dead?"
Jacob said, "First, swear to me."
And he did it.
On oath Esau traded away his rights as the firstborn.
Jacob gave him bread and the stew of lentils.
He ate and drank, got up and left.
That's how Esau shrugged off his rights as the firstborn.
At first glance, it would be easy to judge Esau and his choice as, well...stupid. Esau gave up a blessing and an inheritance from his very wealthy father Isaac (a guy so rich that he had to move because his stuff was taking over an entire area and the neighbors were seriously jealous). And Esau gave it up for...lentil stew and bread (not even steak or lobster!). Esau rationalized his decision--it actually seemed logical to him at the moment.
I actually feel sorry for Esau. Everyday there are people who do the same thing--trading a God-given destiny for something that seems right at the moment. They rationalize their decisions--"I need this job! It's a paycheck." or "I'm lonely and he says he loves me." or "I need an escape and going out drinking with the guys is so much fun!" But how will their lives be impacted by these choices?
Sadly, it appears that Esau didn't learn to make wise long-term decisions from his dinner v. destiny mistake. Later in the passage it says:
When Esau was forty years old he married Judith,
daughter of Beeri the Hittite,
and Basemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite.
They turned out to be thorns in the sides of Isaac and Rebekah.
Ouch. It looks like Esau didn't make the smartest decision about who to marry, either. I don't know about you, but I'm hoping not to have a thorn by my side for the rest of my life!
Even though Esau didn't learn from his mistake the first time, I hope we can learn from him. Pray for wisdom and when you're faced with a decision. Then ask, "How will this affect my future?" and "What could I be giving up by going this direction?" If you're giving up on God or what His Word says, run the other way. "Dinner" isn't worth your destiny.
(Acknowledgement: When I was a teenager, I remember hearing a message on this topic and passage by Pastor Steve Hage. I've heard gazillions of messages, but I never forgot this one. Thank you, Pastor Hage.)
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