How do you view your blessing?

Genesis 25:27-34

In Genesis 25, we are told the story of two brothers, Esau and Jacob. According to tradition, Esau was entitled to twice as much inheritance as Jacob when their father died. This was a great blessing and not something to be taken for granted.

Not only was Esau in line to receive two-thirds of his father’s possessions, but he was also in the role of being the one who would carry on the promise God had made to his grandfather Abraham — the promise to take part in the lineage of the Messiah.

However, Esau is presented with a problem. He is hungry, possibly even starving. Even as good of a hunter as he was, he couldn’t bring anything home that day. Making matters worse, Jacob was at home making Esau’s favorite dish.

When Esau arrived home, he saw that what Jacob was cooking would be good to eat. Feeling hungry, Esau asked for a bowl of soup. Before Jacob would feed him, Esau had to do something for him — something that would change the course of history forever. Jacob asked Esau to sell him his birthright.

As Esau muttered, “what good is a birthright if I am dead,” he agreed to surrender his birthright.

For a bowl of soup, Esau gave up the more significant portion of the inheritance and the right to be heir to the promise made to Abraham. Blinded by the momentary discomfort of his hunger (undoubtedly not severe enough to kill him), Esau forfeited a future of spiritual and financial security.

This story is relevant to us today because we all have a birthright blessing that is afforded to us. We are made in the image of God, and although our sin has separated us from God, through Jesus Christ, we can accept the blessing of a restored relationship with Him. This is none of our work but all the work Jesus did for us. Every one of us will treat this blessing in one of two ways.

On the one hand, some will treat it like Esau, who gave it up for earthly discomfort. They pursue the instant gratification this world offers and miss out on all that awaits them in heaven. They show in their hearts they don’t believe the blessing from Jesus is valuable. For bowls of soup, they forfeit eternity.

However, some will be like Jacob and see the future value of the blessing. They choose to delay gratification, go through temporary discomfort, and live for the promises of the future. They decide to sacrifice the bowl of soup, knowing one day they will worship Jesus in his entirety in a place where sin no longer restrains their lives.

So, how do you treat your blessing? First, have you accepted it? If you have, how much is it worth to you? Is it worth giving up today’s comfort for tomorrow’s promises?