What we want most over what we want now

In the workshop we state that our Family Mission Statement allows us to do what we want most over what we want now.  It establishes our truest and most important desires so that we can prioritize those over those things that seem more attractive in the moment.

I’m sure you remember the story of how Esau traded his birthright to Jacob for a single meal (Gen 25: 24-34).  It always seemed incredulous to me that Esau could be so stupid to trade his future inheritance for one meal.  There must have been more to that story that we don’t know.

Then one day as I was reading the book of Hebrews this jumped out at me.  Heb 12:16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau. He traded his birthright as the oldest son for a single meal. 17 And afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he wept bitter tears. NLT

This seemingly out of context thought about Esau provides great insight into clarifying the Esau/Jacob birthright story.  Indeed, Esau did knowingly trade his birthright for a single meal.  Esau is here described as Godless.  It appears that Esau was characterized by these impetuous decisions of choosing what he wanted that moment, even to the detriment of what was more important.

I doubt that anyone reading this is foolish enough to trade their earthly inheritance for a single meal as Esau did.  But could we be trading part of our eternal inheritance that would come from living out our Family Mission for those things that look more attractive in the moment, but are pale in comparison to our truest purposes?

What a great reminder that our family mission statement provides us the direction to do what we want most over what we want now.

Written by Mark Naylor, co-founder of Family Vision Ministries