*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*CAN YOU SEE.....?(5)*
*Scripture Treasure.*
Gen 25: 31-32
*And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?*
*And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.*
*Insight and Highlight.*
There are some things in life that could presently sustain but will not bring us fortune in the future.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
From the moment Esau sold his birthright, his life went down, Gen 26:24-35.
We can further learn from Esau's life as follows.
First, Esau neglected the source of life that would sustain his life to choose what could not last or survive him in life.
If you put a feeding bottle filled with milk before a crying and hungry baby and place his mother beside him the baby will choose the feeding bottle before his mother because the baby does not know that the mother can give or feed him more than one bottle of milk would do.
The ignorance of the baby becomes apparent when he chooses to go with someone or anyone who holds the feeding bottle rather than his mother.
The problem of choice facing the baby is a common problem even to adults today.
We neglect the source but choose the outlet.
We often choose what we momentarily crave after not knowing that what we have neglected could benefit us, buy over, or profit us more than the choice we made.
Esau, faced with the choice of a meal and his birthright, chose the meal because he did not know that his birthright could buy him, fetch him, or sustain him more than the meal he chose.
He did not know or failed to know that whosoever has the birthright heads, leads, or owns everything that belonged to a family.
We have seen that being able to see through the spiritual eye is seeing what others can not see.
An understanding of the gift of the spiritual eye is the ability to see things as they truly are. When you see how God sees, you will see things as truly as they are.
Another illustration that could help us to see and choose what is right and reasonable is the narrative of a father who left an inheritance for his son and his slave (that is, the father's slave)
The father had written that his son could have any of the inheritance, and the slave could also have any of the inheritance likewise.
The son was to choose first, and the rest would belong to the slave.
Who would or should the son choose?
Given this choice, it would be better for the son to choose the slave because all the inheritance the slave chooses will belong to him.
Esau chose food. If he had respected or valued his birthright, Jacob and the household of Isaac would have been his inheritance.
Before we dwell on Esau's loss of birthright we must also look inwards to see how much we have lost before God by following our inclination not knowing we have lost what would have helped us to sustain life longer.
The monkey will choose bananas given a choice between bananas and money because he does not know that money could buy him a lot of bananas.
Second, Esau could not smell any danger but the smell and aroma of the pottage.
Greed can make a person lose the totality of his makeup or lose self-control and his total self.
The attitude of the baby cited in the example may happen to several or many babies, but there may be some exemptions.
While some babies may bond well with some strangers because they smell their mothers around them, there may be a few or very few of them who are very sensitive to their mothers' scent and would not choose any other strangers other than their mothers.
Esau could have asked Jacob, 'What does my birthright have to do with my request for your pottage? "
Jacob knew Esau's love for red pottage. It may be the reason why he chose to prepare it that day.
Third, we must be in control before we can subdue pressure, challenges, and the temptation of choice. Before we can be in control, we must know the forces we are dealing with.
We must know that there are things that happen to us that are beyond our control. This is called diversity.
Our natural diversities are our uniqueness.
We differ in age, and the ability to grow in age is beyond our control.
Also, our genders are different. They are beyond our control. We differ also in this respect.
Though, a lot is happening today, but it is almost a certainty that the gender of a majority of people will remain so in their lifetime, and so is their ethnicity or where they were born.
These diversities make people behave and speak and do things differently.
However, dimension, which may be described as the measure of one's direction or in all directions, in contrast to diversity, is under our control.
We must know that while diversity may be beyond our control, dimension can be under our control.
For example, you are not able to control growth, but you can control your attitude as you grow. You should be able to know how you can find expression in dignity, honor, and integrity as you grow
Job 12:12 says, *Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.*
Job 32:7 says, *Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age.*
Esau's hunger seemed to be beyond his control, but he could have made it known that his birthright was not negotiable.
Some things may be beyond our control (diversity), but we can set boundaries (dimension).
To be able to see things the way they truly are, we must be armed to know what things are really not.
*Remorse corner.*
Set boundaries!
We must be able to see that though we are in need of somethings now, they may not be good for us at this present time.
Esau failed to realize this.
*Call to Word action*
There are manipulators. They try to manipulate God, too, but they can not get away unpunished. You can set boundaries so that you do not fall for anything.
*The Christian clarion duty.*
You could lose what you hope to gain if you do not see things the way they really are.
Pray always, in any negotiations, contacts, or business or spiritual dealings, that God will instantly open your eyes.
*Prayer.*
Lord, open my eyes to see things the way they really are. Give me *The hearing ear and the seeing eye,......* Prov 20:12, in Jesus name.
Good morning all, and have a blessed day.
God bless you.
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