#18 Now or Later?
For me, the Bible story that displays a truly terrible transaction, taking second place only to the fall of man, has to be the story of Jacob and Esau. If you aren’t aware, let me give you a little back story. Jacob and Esau were the sons of Isaac. Isaac was, for all intents and purposes, a very wealthy man. Blessed by God over the years, he was nearing his time of death and needed to bestow the birthright upon one of his sons. (Think of a birthright as an upgrade to an inheritance. Not only would you receive money but also goods, services, respect, and the like. Almost as if you went from being a prince to a king.) Generally, this was supposed to be bestowed upon the oldest son and therefore belonged to Esau. Enter the pain of hunger…….no, I’m dead serious. Esau had gone hunting one day and returned with an empty stomach. Smelling the delicious aroma of food to be eaten, he begs his brother for a bowl of stew. Jacob refuses but offers him a deal. He would feed his brother in exchange for the birthright. Under no forced duress, Esau sold his future inheritance and enjoyed his bowl of stew.
Growing up, I never considered this story very important. I mean, it absolutely sucks that Esau sold his birthright for food, but he did just that. He sold it. Out in the fields hunting and gathering for the family, his body demanded sustenance and revitalization. In his desperation to be immediately satiated, he traded his future for the realization of a momentary desire. Have you ever done that? Have you ever made a decision that costs you your future for the price of immediate satisfaction? I would argue and say that everyone has. I love some good fast food while knowing how unhealthy it is. However, when I’m driving by McDonald’s and smelling those golden arches fries, you best believe my foot is going onto the gas pedal and into the drive-through. I place my order, wrap around the corner, and indulge my senses with the large fries and coke. That meal, however, has just placed a strain on my body that my future self will have to deal with.
There’s a big difference between living life and living an abundant life. In John 10, we read that Christ came that, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) The Greek word for that is perissos which is comparative to the idea of overflow. Christ came so that our lives could be fulfilling not only physically but also spiritually. He wants us to have joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. There are plenty of times, however, when we trade these qualities of abundance that Christ wants us to have for immediate gratification that can lead to destruction.
You cussed somebody out because they did something you did not appreciate. While it might’ve felt good at the moment, we just traded a potential ministry moment for emotional satisfaction. You went out last night and got completely wasted at the bar. At the moment, being hammered might feel amazing because it allows you to be someone else or feel something else. However, beyond the physical damage, you are causing yourself; you have begun to tie yourself to the feeling of being drunk, making it harder to escape from when you have the opportunity to indulge it. You called up that abusive ex because you miss being in a relationship. While you might feel secure in the moment; you’ve now opened the door for past hurts to resurface.
Everybody has a way to self-medicate and deal with the pains and struggles of life and it’s okay to figure what works for you. However, I think it’s important to understand when a form of medication is actually a toxin in disguise. One of the ways that we can experience the abundance of life is to learn how to rest in the love of Christ. I’m not saying that this makes the pain of life disappear, but it helps bring things into perspective. (God loves us and cares for us. He wants us to ask for help) We begin to realize that he does not wish for our own self-destruction and, instead, wants us to learn about the abundance he has. Resting in Christ can take many forms such as reaching out to trusted friends and asking for prayer, reading God’s Word, taking a walk to decompress, etc… So, as we learn to rest in Christ, I present a challenge this week. Whenever you are tempted with something that provides immediate gratification, ask yourself whether it is constructive or destructive to your future? What made Esau’s trade so bad was that his future was so much better than his present. However, his current circumstance caused him to forget his promised future. Don’t trade your future abundance for momentary satisfaction.
