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Is Instant Gratification Really Worth It?: A Look At Esau

By Ozeme J Bonnette

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Published: 25Feb2012
Word count: 510
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Twin brothers Jacob and Esau had a very unhealthy relationship. The sibling rivalry between these twins was incredible. It appears, too, that, in every battle between the brothers, Esau always gets the raw end of the deal.

In Genesis 25:31-34, Esau has been talked out of his birthright. He sold it to his brother, Jacob, for some bread and a bowl of stew.

The early verses of Genesis 25 tell us that Esau was a skilled hunter. He had been out in the open country and was extremely hungry. As he came back home, he found Jacob cooking some stew. When he asked for some, Jacob saw an opportunity to take his older brother's birthright from him.

No recognition of the value

The interesting thing about Esau's initial response to Jacob's request is that he didn't recognize the true value of his possession. His question was, "What good is it to me?"

Granted, at the time, the birthright may not have been able to satisfy his hunger. But that was a temporal problem. Esau was holding on to something that went way beyond the temporal. The birthright was a promise for him and all future generations to come. In essence, his possession held eternal value.

How often in our own lives do we look solely at our immediate temporal needs while discrediting our eternal inheritance?

Esau's entire family line was stripped of the birthright when he sold it for the bowl of stew. His decision didn't just impact him. It impacted many generations. Have we spent so much time focusing on our own need for instant gratification that we ended up depriving our children and future generations of promised blessings?

Consider the need for instant gratification in our own lives

As we meditate on these verses, we should ask ourselves a few questions. For example, are some of the things that we spend money on really that important?

Do we need all of the latest technological gadgets? Do we need all of the cable channels that we pay for?

Do we need to trade our car in for a newer model when there is nothing wrong with the one we're driving? Do we need a bigger house?

Do we need to eat out - again? Do we need to buy "premium" coffee?

Is it possible that there are better uses for some of our money within our own household? Could we pay off debt faster? Could we redirect it to help our children pay for college?

Is it possible that there are better uses for some of our money within God's Kingdom?

It takes patience to get to our inheritance. We cannot allow the enemy to trick us into thinking that we cannot move beyond our temporal, fleshly desires. As Paul says in Hebrews 6:12, "…you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and endurance." (NLT)

Ozeme J. Bonnette is a financial coach, speaker, and author. She began her career at Merrill Lynch, and now works to increase financial literacy. She teaches and speaks to groups and organizations throughout the U.S. She earned 3 Bachelor's degrees at Fresno State and an MBA at UCLA's Anderson School. She blogs at http://www.povertynorriches.com.

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