"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...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...Thus Esau despised his birthright" (Gen. 25:29-34).
How easily we sacrifice God's best to satisfy an immediate desire and experience temporary pleasure. That's exactly what Esau did. When Esau came in from hunting in the field he was hungry and exhausted. Seeing what Jacob had just cooked (red stew), he said unto Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stew." Jacob, knowing that his brother Esau was tired and hungry, saw an opportunity to take advantage of him by asking Esau to sell him his birth right (future inheritance). Esau said, "I'm about to die what good is this birthright." Esau wasn't going to die. We often use the same kind of language when we say things like "I'm starving to death." But the fact is that most American's like me don't have a clue what it means to experiece starvation. Esau might have been hungry but he more than likely wasn't about to die of starvation. He could have waited for his mother to cook something up for him or he could have cooked something up himself like the bible records he did for his father Isaac. But instead he sacrificed his birth right (future inheritance) to receive instant gratification and temporary satisfaction. And he did so by exaggerating his situation.
"Teenagers sometimes exaggerate their situation. They tell themselves little lies such as, “If I don’t make cheerleader, my life is over.” “She is the only girl I’ll ever love.” “I am dropping out of school; I can NEVER pass these classes.” and “Everyone in that youth group looks down on me.” Of course, teenagers are not the only people who do this. Many adults have a tendency to exaggerate their situation as well. We may say or think things such as, “This job is making me crazy.” “My husband never helps me with anything.” or “I have to work more hours because we have to have a bigger house.” Exaggerating your situation makes you feel desperate. It makes you feel like your options are limited. Exaggerating your situation can make circumstances seem hopeless and lead you to grasp a bad option for fear it is the only option. Exaggerating your needs tends to give you tunnel vision when it comes to seeing all the available options. Look again at the statement of Esau to his brother: Was Esau “about to die”? He was very tired and very hungry, but he was not dying. Like Esau, we make better decisions when we are honest about our situation. For example, using the previous situations:
—“I would really like to make cheerleader and will be disappointed if I don’t, but I suspect I will have many opportunities that will also be worthwhile even if I don’t make cheerleader.”
—“I really care about this girl and may even feel real love, but if she is not the one, someone else is out there.”
—“My job is really hard. I have some difficult relationships I need to manage there. I would rather be in some other place. But as long as I am here, I need to pray for God to show me what to do.”
Taking an honest look at the situation allows us to evaluate our options with a clear head. When we give up the “I’m-about-to-die” thinking, we can see other options" (Life Way).
So many Christians today are missing out on God's best, missing out on long term and eternal blessings because of the, "I’m-about-to-die” thinking" followed by the "I have to have it right now mentality." These are two ingredients found in Jacob's stew that were recipes for disaster and great loss to Esau. You are not going to die and you don't have to have it right know. You can wait. God's best comes to those that learn to wait on him.
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