I’ve noticed in my life that when I don’t get something I want, when I don’t win, when I’ve worked real hard for something and still miss the mark, I get mad and angry. I complain and it ruins my day. This was quite evident a few weeks ago at my in-laws house. My wife and I, along with her parents were all playing golf on Wii Sports. I am usually pretty good at it (best game is a – 5) but this particular day, it was totally off! I started off good but on hole 2 I got a double bogey and it just went downhill from there. I think I ended up with a +7 for the game. I was furious and I took it out on myself. Because of my attitude, I sucked at the rest of the games that night too. Not only did my attitude put a damper on my night, but it also made everyone else’s night less enjoyable.
This morning one of my students gave brief message at FCS (Fellowship of Christian Students) at the high school. He talked about Isaac giving his blessing to Jacob and not Esau. He then had us write down people we look up to and then throw the paper away because us trying to attain their status was getting in the way of us being ourselves and allowing God to use us in unique ways. It was a great message. Afterwards I went back to my office and re-read the story and picked up on something else.
Once Jacob had stolen the blessing, Esau came back from hunting and discovered what had just happened. He pleaded with his father but nothing could be done. Jacob continued pleading with his father, “O my father, bless me too!” In Genesis 27:37-39, the prophecy is revealed:
37 Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?”
38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!” Then Esau wept aloud.
39 His father Isaac answered him,
“Your dwelling will be away from the earth’s richness,
away from the dew of heaven above.
40 You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother.
But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke
from off your neck.”
Isaac told Esau that he was to submit to his younger brother because he was the one that was blessed, but after a time, we will be able to break free. This infuriated Esau and he “hated Jacob because he had stolen his blessing, and he said to himself, ‘My father will soon be dead and gone. Then I will kill Jacob.’”
When I look back at that I see two things. The first is this: anger is a powerful tool of evil that can radically changes lives for the worst. Esau had every right to be hurt and mad, but instead of having control of his anger, he fed and wanted to kill is brother. Later he goes and marries his cousin, Mahalath, adding to the wives he already had. For years he hated Jacob and wanted to kill him. That is the power of hatred and anger. It is an infectious disease that targets the core of who you are and what you stand for.
The second thing I see from these verses is this: There is freedom! Isaac told Esau that after a while, he would be free from Jacob. When I read this, I see it as after a time, Esau would be free of the anger and hatred he had towards Jacob. In Genesis 33, Jacob and Esau make peace. This is a huge ordeal! Generations had risen up (the children of Jacob and Esau) before peace between the brothers was restored. But the time in between peace isn’t the point I am trying to make. The point is that THERE WAS PEACE!
No matter how small the issue that aggravates us or angers us, there is always peace for those who want it. Both Jacob and Esau wanted peace between the two of them. In order for that to happen, we have to lay down our pride and focus on what is good. For them, what was good was each other. Jacob had Esau and Esau and Jacob. Once they realized that, peace was able to be made.
In my case, I was furious that I did horrible at a game. But later that night, before I went to bed, I realized that I had an amazing wife and family and that I was indeed blessed to be playing a game at all! It’s easy to let anger win, but when we take the time to humble ourselves before the Lord, He will lift us up* and He will be glorified.
* James 4:10
