Esau Sells His Birthright

First, a brief note--I'm going to use  my special study time from approximately 7:50-8:50 pm on Monday to investigate the events of 26:1-16, which are eerily reminiscent of events mentioned in Chapter 20, and yet a significant length of time has passed, something in the neighborhood of 50 years or so. I'll see what the Study Bible has to say on the subject.

In 25:32, Esau does something I'm sure we'd all agree is foolish when he sells his birthright to Jacob in exchange for a bowl of stew. Surely none of us would do something that rash--we would NEVER consider throwing away future riches for instant gratification, would we? We always take the long view, look toward the future and not toward our selfish immediate wants and are prudent with all we come in touch with, correct?

I can say with certainty that the sentences  above were excellent descriptors of my parents. Both my parents were children during the Depression, although my understanding is that it didn't affect them greatly. After a chat with my sister a year or so ago, we agreed that the notion that my parents wouldn't spend a dime they could save was instilled in World War II service and rationing, when a ready replacement for a damaged or obsolete good couldn't be obtained in the swipe of a credit card. My parents were frugal with a capital F, even when it became plainly obvious they didn't have to be. At that point, it didn't matter--life and experience had made them what they were.

Things seem different today, and I won't belabor the point other than to say that choices in almost every facet of life exist today that didn't in my parents' time. Chances are the first apartment my wife and I inhabited would have been all my parents could have asked for as newlyweds--air conditioning, parking, laundry facilities, a pool and playground equipment, clubhouse, etc., and yet for my wife and me, it was good enough for a couple years before we bought our first house. Having said all that, can't it be safely said that the entire world is at risk in selling their inheritance for instant gratification today? The underlying cause of almost all insolvency in the world, be it Greek, Irish, Icelandic, German or U.S. rests in promises made for tomorrow that were NOT paid for today (or intended to be paid tomorrow, for that matter).

To this point, I've only been writing in economic terms, but consider what Esau did in terms of Christianity (not that he did this explicitly). What is hedonism other than the belief that there is no retribution or consequence to a lifetime of rebellion to God? That's the birthright that millions, perhaps billions, foreswear today, and as Christians, we bear some responsibility if people that come through our lives aren't aware of this. I'm not too worried about anyone reading this renouncing their inheritance in Christ, but let's all agree that our greatest duty on this Earth is to do the work necessary to ensure we have as much company as possible in heaven with us.

Scott