Wrong Part of the Story, Week 2 Day 5 Genesis 33

Wrong Part of the Story, Week 2 Day 5 Genesis 33

I often get a hold of the wrong part of the story.  Jacob now named Israel is the center of the story at this point.  He’s got the Esau’s birthright, Esau’s blessing, two wives, great riches and then a blessing from God.  He’s now the center of the story.

And me, I wonder what’s up with Esau.  Jacob high tailed it out of town when Esau wanted to kill him.  And now after decades it’s time for them to meet again.  Israel sees Esau coming and he is scared.  It’s been a lot of years.  And Israel isn’t sure what he’s going to find when he meets Esau.  Has Esau let go of the grudge?  Or has nursed the grudge for all those years?

Israel bows seven times as he approaches his brother.  And Esau runs to Israel, hugs him, kisses him, and weeps.  And where did all that hate go?  Where did the anger go?  How did he go from murder to hugs and kisses.

I would love to know what happened to Esau.  How did he go from murder to the embrace?

Did he just grow up?  Maybe he simply left it behind as he matured, left behind the childish rage and anger?  Simply grew out of it.

Maybe God had done a work in Esau’s heart?  Taken out the hurt, the anger, the murder and replaced it with brotherly love and forgiveness. 

Maybe Esau had learned the value of hard work?  Without his birthright, without his blessing, he would have had to work, to work hard for everything he had.  Not inherited.  Not given.  Earned.  And in earning it he learned how to be happy with what he had done.   As he told Israel, “I already have plenty.”

I’ll never know which it is.  Growing up, the work of God, the result of good old hard work, or maybe some combination of the three. 

But, while Esau is not the main character in the story, there is no story without him.   Without Esau’s anger Jacob never leaves, never gets married and never experiences the hugs and kisses of a forgiving brother.  And the story ends.

It’s easy to feel like a bit player in life.  Unimportant.  Inconsequential.  A bit player in the story of God.  But as it turns out there really are no bit players in God’s Story.  Without Esau, there is no Israel.  Without Esau the story ends. 

The truth is that we all matter.  We all have a place in God’s plan.  We all have a part to play in God’s story.  Without me there is no story.  And without you there is no story either.  We all matter to God.  And we all have a place in His Story.

God, it’s easy to feel unimportant.  It’s easy to feel like I don’t matter.  I’m not the lead in the play.  I’m not even a bit play.  Often I feel like I’m just sitting in the audience watching the action.  Heck, sometimes I don’t even feel like I’m in the theater.  But that’s not true God.  You have a place for me.  You have a part for me.  And my part and my place are important.  And I’m important to You.  Show me my place.  And help me play my part in Your Story.  Amen

Leonard