Day 13 of Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Day podcast series “The Bible In a Year” again left me reflecting upon a truth I never saw before.
When I first read the story of Esau and Jacob, I must admit that I somehow felt disconcerted. I also felt it was unfair for Jacob to be able to get away with stealing Esau’s birthright. Even if Esau made a mistake, didn’t Jacob do something wrong also?
Later, I’ve realized that I may not have understood the story deeper. While Jacob’s move is not one I would agree with, Esau’s actions may have been graver because he has taken for granted a great blessing that was meant to be his.
And that’s the point Fr. Mike Schmitz was able to discuss. While we can easily judge the foolishness of Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of stew, we could also be guilty of the same thing.
How many times have we chosen something lesser than our eternal inheritance? How many times did we give more importance to people and things that draw us away from God?
Here are the relevant Bible verses from Genesis 25:
19 This is the history of the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham became the father of Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian, to be his wife…
24 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esau. 26 After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
27 The boys grew. Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. 28 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30 Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with some of that red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom.*
31 Jacob said, “First, sell me your birthright.”
32 Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?”
33 Jacob said, “Swear to me first.”
He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.
Compared to the greatness of Esau’s inheritance, a bowl of stew is nothing. But that bowl of soup was all he ever wanted at that moment. It was the focus of his attention. It was the only thing that could satisfy his hunger.
May we remember in moments of temptation the truly important things. May we never exchange our pearl of great price to something temporary, to a bowl of soup that could take away our hunger for a moment but could never satisfy the eternal hunger of our souls.
