Me, Like Esau???

Genesis 25:29-34
Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

This passage of scripture is pretty well known to most Christians. Most Christians that I have spoken to concerning this have had the same kind of thinking. I will admit I have felt the same way. That Esau was basically an idiot to have given up so much for so little. Why on earth would he give up his birthright for a single meal! We see the things written in scripture and think that we would have acted in a much better fashion! Even if we know how it feels to be exhausted and starving we would never have given up so much!

I heard a snippet (about 2 sentences) on the radio today (sorry I cannot remember the program). It really made me think. The Lord slapped me between the eyes once again! I am more like Esau than I would ever like to admit!

Esau gave up the blessing of the Lord for instant gratification! He wanted something and he wanted it then and there. He did not want to wait. Ever felt like that? Never, right? Have you ever gone out and used a credit card to purchase something you wanted because you didn’t really have the money? Have you ever justified turning a want into a need? Have you ever failed to trust in the providence of God for your needs or the blessings of God for your wants and tried to provide for them any way you could? Credit cards make it an easy thing to indulge in instant gratification. What happens next though?

Proverbs 22:11
The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

My hubby and I have facilitated several Financial Peace University classes in the past. Lately, we have fallen off of the financially disciplined wagon.  In fact, not only have we fallen off, we didn’t even get up and chase after that wagon right away, we stayed and played in the dirt for a while!  Playing in the dirt can be fun but cleaning up the mess rarely is!

Well, I think the Lord has given us the kick in the pants we needed!  No one wants to be told that they are acting like Esau when he sold his birthright!  Time to remember to be content with what we have, time to remember that fruit of self-control, time to stop indulging in instant gratification, and time to get back on that wagon of financial discipline!  It is time to get rid of the instant gratification attitude that we like Esau have displayed!