Birthright or Beans: A New Way to Make Decisions

29 One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. 30 Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)

31 “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”

32 “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”

33 But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn. Genesis 25: 29-34 NLT

Shane Willard's 2nd message on Saturday night was just as good as his first.

This one is about how to make decisions.

First of all, Shane said to stop looking at decisions as if it's right or wrong.

What we should do, is think of, "Is this WISE to do?"

For example, is it wrong to eat 3 pieces of cake in one sitting? Nope.

Is it wise? Nope. I think this is a great way to look at life decisions.

In the Scripture I posted above, we see Esau selling is birthright to Jacob for what he thought was hardy beef stew. When Jacob gave it to him, after, he'd agreed, it was only beans.

Esau did something profane in the eyes of the Jews. Your birthright was one of the most special things about you. The writer of Hebrews even calls him "godless" Chapter 12, verses 16-17, "16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears."

Esau was treating his birthright as though it was a common thing.... when in reality it was not.

Birthright for them meant:

1. Carrying on the family name for survival.
2. Image for everything your family stands for.
3. Entitled a person to an inheritance.
4. Essentially, a summary statement of your destiny. 

Esau traded everything he could be for a momentary urge.

Shane asked these questions:

1. Do we live as though there is no higher purpose which profanes our destiny? This pattern leads us to simply go from urge to urge. What seems so great (the red stuff) ends up being a cup of beans.
2. Is the story of your life going to be a pursuit of the birthright or a summation of living from urge to urge?

Luke 9: 23 23 Then He (Jesus)said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me."

Live for your birthright with everyday decisions to destroy the bowl. Don't choose beans over your birthright!

God bless you today and always!