Verse of the day: Genesis
25:34 And Jacob gave Esau bread
and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau
despised his birthright.
Hasty
decisions result in dire consequences. Esau, overtaken by hunger, makes a decision
with consequences that would be felt later on in his life. All too often, we
make hasty decisions because of how we feel at that moment. The Word of God
tells us that Esau was a skilled hunter. However, we are not told whether, or
not, he was able to catch anything on this particular occasion, only that he
was weary when he returned. If his hunt was successful, his hunger made him too
impatient to wait until his catch was prepared and cooked. Nonetheless, how he
was feeling, at that moment, drove his decision to despise (count as worthless)
his birthright (rights as the firstborn). All Esau could see at that moment was
the stew that was before him, without a thought for the long-term effects that
would result from his hastiness. Emotional hastiness, or our inability to have
self-control over our appetites, makes us shortsighted. As we see Esau’s and
Jacob’s interaction, we see that Esau’s weariness caused him to exaggerate what
would happen if he did not have something to eat at that very moment (v. 30-33).
So often, our perspective on the outcome of a situation is exaggerated, or
blown out of proportion, when we are weary, or emotionally stressed; for this
reason it is always a bad idea to make decisions when we are angry, hurt,
feeling sorrow, or experiencing any circumstance that affects us emotionally. On
a lighter note, how often have we gone shopping, while hungry, and bought a
bunch of stuff we ended up not eating; or gotten home after a long day, feeling
hungry, and ate something we regretted eating afterwards? That is just a small
example, but life can get much more complicated than that if we approach larger
life decisions in the same fashion. Esau was not thinking of the blessings he
was forfeiting, but cared only for that which he could grasp in the immediate.
Too many of us forfeit great blessings because we want to make decisions that
will produce immediate results, often ignoring God’s Word and guidance. There
is much wisdom in being slow to anger (James 1:19; Proverbs 15:18; 16:32;
19:11). Making decisions based on “feelings” is what causes many Christians to
be unequally yoked in relationships, because, at the moment, the other person,
although not a Christians, makes them “feel” good. We then begin to rationalize
why it is okay, even though it goes against God’s command not to be unequally
yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). We choose not to forgive someone
because our feelings or pride was hurt, and ignore God’s command to forgive, as
He has forgiven us, in Christ, and continues to forgive us, even over the most
grievous of sins against Him (Ephesian 4:32; Colossians 3:13). The bottom line
is that we must take care to not be hasty in our decision-making. The Word of
God tells us that because of Esau’s actions, he is called a profane person (or ungodly,
wicked) in Hebrews 12:16. God forbid that we too should share that testimony
because of our haste. Jacob, in this instance, was no better than Esau was, in
that he used this opportunity to gain something for himself instead of simply
being kind to his brother. We, as born again believers, must be careful that we
not use someone else’s desperation or misfortune (regardless of whether real or
perceived) to take advantage of them. When God presents us with the opportunity
to give, or help, we must be willing to do it freely, with no expectation of
personal gain. This ought to be so, even if it is one’s enemy. Jesus said, in
Luke 6:34-36, “And if
you lend to those from whom you
hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to
sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend,
hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be
sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just
as your Father also is merciful.” As God’s children, we must be wise in our approach to making decisions
in life. We must not allow our emotions, or appetites, decide what the right
choice in a matter is. We must allow God’s Word to guide us, and if our
feelings and appetites contradict God’s truth, then God’s Word is what is to be
followed. An opportunity to give or help another is an opportunity to show the
love of Christ, and should not be used as an opportunity for selfish gain. In
the instance of Jacob and Esau, God used their imperfections to carry out His
perfect plan. We can thank God that He is always in control, and even when we
use the poorest judgment, He is merciful toward us in still working out His will
and plan in our lives. However, know that each decision comes with its own set
of consequences. We serve a God who is good, not based on whether or not we
are, but simply because He is God.
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