Generally, I don’t ask my readers to read something else before reading my post, but in this case, it might help your understanding of what I am writing. Gen. 25:29-34 is the story of Esau and how he sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. I must admit, though I thought I understood this passage, I came up far short. I mean, it was just a bowl of stew and it was just a birthright.

To understand, a person needs to understand what a birthright is. I must admit that I do not fully understand it. This much, I do know. It was passed on from father to son, usually to the older one. In this case, Esau is the oldest. Yet God said that it would go to the younger one, Jacob. In this account, Esau relinquishes his birthright, thinking he is on the brink of dying. Even so, I don’t think his mother would have let him die of starvation. However, you know how it is. When a person just has to have something, he just has to have it.

Then, the birthright passed not Esau, but Jacob. This brings up the question. What is the big deal? What is so important about this birthright? I don’t know. I have heard preachers speak on it and I am sure they know more than I do. However, I have come to the conclusion it doesn’t matter. I mean it did to Esau and Jacob, but not to us. The thing that is most so important about it is that it was most important, no matter what it was or is.

So it was that Esau gave up something very important. Maybe not on that day, week or year. However, in the long run, because he gave up that birthright for the stew, he did casually give up something important to him and his descendants. You see, if he had received the birthright, he could have passed it to his son and his son and on and on.

Let’s put the story aside for a while. We as humans frequently make short term and long term decisions. I have heard, and it is probably true that John Rockefeller gave 1/10 of what he made to the church and 1/10 he set aside in savings, though he couldn’t really afford it. Many suggest this is likely why he became a millionaire. I don’t know. However, when everyone else was spending every penny they made; or even going in to debt, Rockefeller kept building savings, which he was later able to invest.

I guess one could say that he made the choice to turn down the bowl of stew for the long term benefit. I wish I could say I did the same, however, anyone that knows me knows I am not a millionaire. I am basically living off Social Security.

Does everyone that saves 10% and gives 10% become a millionaire? I doubt it. I would guess most do very well. On the other side, it is pretty difficult for someone who does not save his money to become rich. It is common sense.

Back to the bowl of stew. Well, let’s look at a decision I made. I went out and bought a 40 thousand dollar car. I was driving a 12 year-old car that was beginning to have serious problems. Buying another car, perhaps a year or two years old, would have been the far better thing to do. However, when I got behind the wheel of that Nissan, that bowl of stew looked mighty appetizing.

Shame on me. I made a bad decision. I should not have done it. I looked only at the short term and went into debt. I wish I could say that was the only bad decision I made. I made many others that had nothing to do with finance or money and I suffered for it. For sure I should have ignored that bowl of stew, but I didn’t and it was not long that I realized it was entirely the wrong thing.

You see, I can tell people what is the wise and good to ignore that wonderful smelling stew. However, it would seem no one pays any attention to me, as I did not pay attention to those before me who warned me.

You see, it’s not so much what a birthright is, but that it is important. And we should not take it so lightly. Now, in case you want to know, I have paid 800 a month for the last year and I will pay 800 a month for the next six years.

Remember, before you leap, take a good look. It might help even if you won’t listen to us old fogies in other ways.