"So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob…
Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.”
Genesis 25:33-34
As firstborn, Esau had been given the position of leadership in his family as well as a double portion of the inheritance. What young man would not treasure such privilege? But despite all that, Esau’s momentary cravings drove him to foolishly give up his birthright for an ordinary bowl of stew. After eating his fill, he simply got up and left,clearly demonstrating the exchange meant nothing to him! Esau’s indifference toward his birthright is astounding. In stronger words, he despised or showed contempt for the irreplaceable treasure he had been given. It was like thumbing his nose at the value of family relationship.
Is it possible for us to show the same indifference? The moment we accept Jesus as our Lord, we are born again into a new family. We are freely given a new birthright…RELATIONSHIP with God the Father and His kids. This birthright offers endless benefits in that relationship: freedom, purpose, hope, joy, and peace, to name a few. And yet, if we don’t comprehend the value and beauty of our birthright, the aroma of self-serving stew pots may also entice our human cravings. And, if we're not careful, we could end up exchanging our place at the banquet table of relationship for an ordinary bowl of stew!
