In the Bible, we read of a man named Esau, who while hungry, approached his younger brother for a meal. The younger brother, Jacob, offered a plate of pottage in exchange for his older brothers’ birthright. The Older brother Esau’s erratic thought process went something like this: I will die if I don’t get this bowl of pottage, so what good is my birthright to me? He obliged and sold his birthright.
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink , and rose up , and went his way : thus Esau despised his birthright. – Genesis 24:35
Reading further into the passage, we find out that Jacob also received his dad’s blessings and went on to birth the twelve tribes of Israel.
It’s easy to consider this an isolated situation or out-rightly denounce Esau’s flawed decision making, but the point is, we also make this decision everyday. In many ways we choose to sell our birthright, our exalted position as sons and daughters of God, our heavenly passport – for money, sex and popularity.
When I first got to college many years ago, I did not establish my identity as a Christian but instead decided to look around, emulate everyone else and “go with the flow”. I sold out for acceptance and popularity. Boy did I pay the price. Our number one purpose of being on earth is to be Son’s and Daughter’s of the King. And to represent Him in that capacity. May we never sell out for the passing pleasures of sin that this world has to offer. May we never sell our birthright for pottage.
Uché
