And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Genesis 25:34 (NKJV)
Genesis 25 shares the tragic narrative of Esau to caution against the consequences of being a profane individual, someone who fails to recognize the value of holy things and other blessings from God. Esau’s decision to trade his birthright for a single meal led to him being described as having “despised his birthright.” This birthright, as Isaac’s firstborn son and Abraham’s heir, was not just a privilege, but a divine blessing that Esau failed to honor. While ours today is not the same kind of physical birthright Esau had, it is even better, for by faith in Christ, we are the sons and daughters of God.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate our spiritual birthright and associated blessings, so that we don’t devalue them like Esau did. We must value our salvation in Christ. We received our salvation at a great cost, and we should never forget the significance of the blood that sanctifies us. Let’s reflect daily on the blessings we have in Christ, the precious promises we have, and the inheritance that awaits us. If we don’t, we might forget the wonderful birthright we possess. The devil might tempt us with the pleasures of sin, much like the stew Esau traded his birthright for, but those things hold no comparison to what we would be giving up.
Never underestimate the value of your spiritual birthright. Esau sold his birthright and therefore showed that he considered it worthless. Whenever we give into temptation and sell ourselves out, we are showing contempt for God, as we are not considering Him important in that moment. Anytime we sell our birthright, we are treating it as something worthless and negligible. If you are a Christian, you have a birthright. What is your attitude towards it? Do you hold it in high esteem and see it as your most precious possession? Or is there a price for which you would give it up? Jesus says: “If anyone wants to be my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-26).
