DESPERATELY DISAPPOINTING DECISIONS
And Esau said, "Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?" - Genesis 25:32
Decision making is one of the most important responsibilities of every person or leader. Researchers suggest that the average adult makes about 35,000 remotely conscious decisions each day. Some decisions are mundane or insignificant. Others are life-changing in nature. At significant moments in our lives, the decisions we make can determine whether we rise or fall. When we get it right at such major points, we can accelerate our promotion. Getting it wrong can also accelerate a slide into oblivion. This is why it is often suggested that people should not make important decisions when they are hungry, tired, desperate or under pressure. They often "come to themselves" later and regret those choices.
Esau made a terrible decision at a major point in his life. He chose a bowl of food over his birthright. In verse 25, he made an already bad situation even worse by announcing that because he felt intense hunger, an issue as important as his inheritance was meaningless to him. He thus contended that dealing with the immediate hunger was more consequential than his long-term positioning and advantage in life.
Esau's choice was more than just a matter of convenience. Deuteronomy 21:17 establishes the birthright as a divine blessing to the firstborn that included, among others, a double portion of the inheritance. Yet the Bible says Esau despised, disrespected or dishonoured that blessing. Despising God's divine order was an indication of Esau's lack of vision. It was a case of spiritual prodigality. Determine that you would never go that way.
Prayer: Help me, Lord, never to prioritise short-term convenience over long-term blessings.
Scripture Reading: Genesis 25:19-34
