Esau

The Bible portrays Esau as a man who lived for the here and now.  He had little regard for the consequences his actions or how those actions affected others, including himself.  He was driven by his appetite, his passions. He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

Jacob

Jacob, on the other hand, was quiet.  He worked behind the scenes to control and manipulate others in order to get what he wanted.  He didn’t see “bending the truth” a little bit a problem.  Lying was easier than asking for what he needed.  He lived in constant fear of others and rarely voiced his opinion.

Leah

Leah had one week with her husband, before Rachel moved in.  God saw that Leah was not loved, so he gave her many sons.  Each time she gave birth to another son, Leah thought to herself, “This time my husband will notice me.  Surely he will love me now.”  Each time she was met with disappointment.  She always felt like the “other woman” in Jacob’s life.  She couldn’t compete with her more beautiful sister Rachel.  Eventually she gave up hoping that anything would change.  She always felt second best.  But God saw Leah … and loved her.

So WHO ARE YOU in this story?  Which person can you relate to?

Are you like Issac?

• Do you second guess your instinct and end up believing lies despite your better judgement?

Are you like Rebekah?

• Are you impatient with God’s timing and God’s promises?
• When things aren’t going fast enough or according to your plan, do you take matters into your own hands and control and manipulate others in order to get your way?

 Are you like Leah?

• Do you feel neglected and unloved by someone close to you?
• How do you strive for attention?  How do you get others to “notice” you?
• Have you resigned yourself to the way things are and given up hope that things will ever change?
• Do you secretly feel “unloveable”, like something is wrong with you and you long to be loved unconditionally?

 Are you like Esau?

• Are you ruled by your appetite (your passions), your desire for more no matter the cost?
• Do you live for the here an now, regardless of the consequences and blame others for your poor choices?
• Do you realize what you  are doing is wrong?  Do you even care?

 Are you like Jacob?

• Do you feel overlooked and mistreated, taken advantage of by others?
• Do you feel empty on the inside, like you are missing something?  How do you fill the void?
• Are you afraid to stand up for yourself and tell others how you really feel?
• Are you secretly angry at those who mistreat you, but you continue to stay in unhealthy relationships and in unhealthy environments because you are too afraid to take steps to change?
• Is it easier to run away from your problems than to face them?
• Do you believe what others say about you thinking to yourself that is just the way I am?
• Do you lie?