As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home. Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob. One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”) “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.” “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?” But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.
Genesis 25:27-34 NLT
It’s hard to see the future, when faced with a pressing situation in the present. It clouds your judgement and can cause you to make bad decisions. Giving in to hunger in the flesh caused Esau to give away his birthrights. While reading this passage, it’s easy to see the error in Esau and Jacob’s ways. Jacob manipulated his brother while in a vulnerable state and Esau allowed his present situation to cause him to make a decision that had future consequences.
As I was reading this, the Holy Spirit reminded me that as a child of God, I have birthrights. Birthrights that I had decided to give away based on current circumstances. Birthrights that I had forfeited because of the world’s manipulation. I’d traded in the Lord’s peace for the world’s neverending checklists and anxieties. I restrained my love of others out of fear of betrayal. I suppressed my joy under the worries of this world. And so much more…
Don’t let the world shortchange you from your birthright! It’s not always easy to see the fairness of the trade in the moment. The Holy Spirit showed me that this particular trade is not fair, nor equal. As a child of God, anxiety, fear, and sadness are not your portion. Your birthright includes access to the Lord’s abundance. Walk in peace, Laugh with joy, Cover others in love, for that is your birthright.
