“Whenever
I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I
have put my trust; I will not fear. What
can flesh do to me?”
—Psalm 56:3-4
In today’s fast-paced world, often times we make decisions
without much thought given to the long-term repercussions that could occur. So many times, decisions are made to fulfill
an immediate gratification. That is
exactly what happened with Esau. He was
famished when he returned from a hunting trip. His brother Jacob offered a bowl
of soup in exchange for Esau's birthright. And the trade was accepted.
So
the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful
hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his
game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Now Jacob
cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the filed and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with
that same red stew, for I am weary.”
Therefore his name was called Edom.
But Jacob, said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so
what is this birthright to me?” Then
Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.”
So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of
lentils; then he ate and drank, arose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.—Genesis 25:28
-34.
When we read the account of the older brother making a swap
for some food, it sounds foolish. Yet we, too, can give up what is excellent
for temporary satisfaction, if we are not careful—that is, if we are spiritually shortsighted.
A person acting in this way exhibits certain characteristics.
For one thing, she or he makes decisions based on today, without considering
tomorrow's consequences. Next, she or he is blind to life's essential values,
giving higher priority to one’s appetites and emotions than to the Lord. In
addition, the person is willing to sacrifice what is lasting for something that
brings only fleeting satisfaction. Similarly, her or his focus is on things
that are temporal and not eternal. Finally, the decisions are made in times of
physical, emotional, or spiritual weakness.
At the time, it may seem desirable to base a decision upon an
immediate want; however, are you willing to pay the price for that kind of shortsightedness? It will
never satisfy your heart. Our hearts
are satisfied when we rely on God’s Word and allowing His Spirit to guide us
into making the right choice.
Prayer—Father I ask You
to forgive me for making decisions that were based on shortsightedness, and
will You please turn the consequences of these decisions around for me? Lord I ask You to quicken me and to teach me
to make good decisions, in Jesus Name. Amen.
