We see in our Genesis reading today that Jacob is blessed indeed but Esau's "blessing" is a bit more like a curse. Esau will become a great nation, but he will suffer under the yoke of his brother's rule. He will strive to break that domination.
As we think about the kind of life situations we have, sometimes we see that we have difficulties because of general human weakness. We didn't know something that would possibly have affected one of our decisions, we made the wrong decision and things don't work out well. Sometimes we have difficulties because of other people's sin. The decisions others make have a profound influence on our situations. Sometimes God gives us hard things as a result of our own folly.
Let's consider the situation of Isaac's family in that regard. Esau sold his birthright. He continues to go without it. He has no claim to primacy because he yielded that claim. Jacob acted deceitfully in obtaining Esau's blessing. He has to leave home from fear of retribution. He leaves behind an alienated family. Isaac favored Esau in his relationships and thus nurtured strife within his family. Rebekah favored Jacob in her relationships and thus nurtured strife within the family. We all are likewise guilty of holding wrong priorities, making foolish decisions, and harming ourselves and our families. Maybe our sins aren't as obvious as those of Isaac's family, at least not to us, but they are present nonetheless.
Even people who are God's chosen ones, heirs of the promises of God, bring difficulties on themselves and on others. We all sin. When we see the fruit of sin, may our Lord drive us to look all the more to Jesus, who has reversed the curse of sin, becoming sin for us, satisfying God's righteous judgment upon sin.
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