One of the hardest things for me to do is think about
consequences. I always avoid them… or just outright ignore them. It’s a
huge battle—one that I’m not very pleased to say I’m horrible at
fighting! It’s very easy for me to “give in and give up.”
Strangely enough though, there’s a certain Bible story that’s been helping me consider things before I act, think, or speak. I’ve found that thinking about this story makes it’s easier to resist… even though I know the enemy is waiting for me to fall, fail, and falter! I can consider the consequences, and once doing so, it’s easier to say “no.”
The story is that of Jacob and Esau.
Jacob and Esau were twins, Esau being the oldest. But even before they were born, God told their mother Rebekah that “the older will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23). Their father, Isaac, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
One day, when Esau came in from a hard day’s work, he was famished (and thus called, “Edom”) and he asked Jacob if he could have a bowl of the soup Jacob was making. Jacob replied, “first, sell me your birthright.” And Esau did.
In the book of Hebrews, the author refers to Esau as an “immoral and godless person” who sold his birthright for a single meal. (See Hebrews 12:15-17).
Think about that for a second.
This story perfectly sums up our humanly desire and nature to want and get things right now; and not think about the consequences.
When reasoning with himself, Esau said, “I am about to die, so what use is the birthright to me?” He failed to think about after he ate the bowl of soup. He failed to think about the penalty of selling his birthright to Jacob. (And the scary thing is, we’re still battling with his poor choice today!)
Because he was so hungry, he traded a very important piece of his life you could say—for one bowl of soup.
But… How often we do this exact thing and trade our purity for fleeting moments of pleasure!
We most often only see what is right in front of us (a bowl of soup or a short minute of delight) and we miss what really matters: our testimonies, our future, our family, lives, jobs, spiritual growth, future spouses, and our fellowship with God and others.
In his book The Purity Principle, Randy Alcorn says this:
“If we would rehearse in advance the devastating consequences of immorality, we would be far less prone to commit it.”
Blessings!
Kayla R. Woodhouse
Strangely enough though, there’s a certain Bible story that’s been helping me consider things before I act, think, or speak. I’ve found that thinking about this story makes it’s easier to resist… even though I know the enemy is waiting for me to fall, fail, and falter! I can consider the consequences, and once doing so, it’s easier to say “no.”
The story is that of Jacob and Esau.
Jacob and Esau were twins, Esau being the oldest. But even before they were born, God told their mother Rebekah that “the older will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23). Their father, Isaac, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
One day, when Esau came in from a hard day’s work, he was famished (and thus called, “Edom”) and he asked Jacob if he could have a bowl of the soup Jacob was making. Jacob replied, “first, sell me your birthright.” And Esau did.
In the book of Hebrews, the author refers to Esau as an “immoral and godless person” who sold his birthright for a single meal. (See Hebrews 12:15-17).
Think about that for a second.
This story perfectly sums up our humanly desire and nature to want and get things right now; and not think about the consequences.
When reasoning with himself, Esau said, “I am about to die, so what use is the birthright to me?” He failed to think about after he ate the bowl of soup. He failed to think about the penalty of selling his birthright to Jacob. (And the scary thing is, we’re still battling with his poor choice today!)
Because he was so hungry, he traded a very important piece of his life you could say—for one bowl of soup.
But… How often we do this exact thing and trade our purity for fleeting moments of pleasure!
We most often only see what is right in front of us (a bowl of soup or a short minute of delight) and we miss what really matters: our testimonies, our future, our family, lives, jobs, spiritual growth, future spouses, and our fellowship with God and others.
In his book The Purity Principle, Randy Alcorn says this:
“If we would rehearse in advance the devastating consequences of immorality, we would be far less prone to commit it.”
Blessings!
Kayla R. Woodhouse
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