Lentils and Bread

Gen. 25:29 ¶ One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. 

Gen. 25:30 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.”) 

Gen. 25:31 ¶ “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.” 

Gen. 25:32 ¶ “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?” 

Gen. 25:33 ¶ 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. 

Gen. 25:34 ¶ Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left.

     


How many precious things have we given up for such a small price? In this Biblical story we have a story of Jacob and Esau. Esau comes in and is hungry; a temporary want. He is focused upon the here and now, and gives up something very huge and precious. It wasn't a small thing to give over a birthright. This is a case in the Bible that is extremely prevalent in our current society. Many times we are focused on the here and now over the long-term. Businesses have figured out this model. This is the reason that you pay monthly for things. Multiply those monthly payments times twelve and count the true cost. Businesses understand that this large number is scary. Break it into pieces, and people focus upon the details without looking at the big picture.

     In Christianity this is still evidenced. How many times is sin taking place because we are focused upon the temporal here and now? We at many times don't focus upon the huge price we are paying. What is the purpose for some of things that we do? What precious things do we have, that we would give over so easily? Are you focused upon the lentils and bread?