Have you been desperate? Have you been desperate enough to exchange your future to survive in the moment? Have you been in a panic and given more than you should for momentary satisfaction? Do you trade future well-being for immediate satisfaction on a regular basis?
It is likely we have not been so desperate as to exchange our future inheritance for momentary satisfaction. Yet, we may have paid far too much for immediate relief. Purchasing a hotdog and a drink at a sports event comes to mind. The exorbitant prices are ridiculous.
Reading the story of Jacob and Esau is an extreme case of trading the future for the present. Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of stew and couple slices of bread. This example points out Esau’s lack of planning to provide for himself and perhaps an overreaction to his current state. If he was so famished he could not fix himself a meal, how could he bargain with Jacob? Esau was due to receive a double portion inheritance as the oldest and he was willing to trade it away due to a lack of planning, perhaps laziness thrown in, and a desire for immediate satisfaction.
Again, we may go to this extreme, but we see people every day put their immediate satisfaction ahead of planning for the future. I have seen parents buy children trinkets because they were throwing a fit, rather than teaching them they cannot always get what they want. I have seen people buy something simply because they think it’s cute, rather than saving their money to pay a bill.
God has blessed us in many ways. He has blessed us with the ability to reason. We are to use that ability to think beyond the moment, to understand that we do not need most of what we have nor what is available for us to purchase. We are to use the blessings God has blessed us with wisely. Foolishly using them is a waste of God’s blessings.
I pray we all use God’s blessing of reason. I pray we choose to be wise making choices between immediate satisfaction and our future. I pray each one of us decide to make wise purchases. Use your blessing to reason. Make wise choices. Plan for the future. Make wise purchases.
Genesis 25:31-33 Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Marty Pressey 