He must have been famished. Out all day in the wilderness hunting to provide the family some food, he came up empty. Finally making it back home only to find his little brother chilling with mom in the kitchen playing with his Easy-Bake oven and making stew, Esau needed something to eat. If this were my life growing up, my older brother would have stuffed me in the cabinet and grabbed some grub, but Esau begged little bro to give him some soup. Jacob, shrewd from birth, saw an opportunity and took it.
By the time negotiations were complete, Esau had some stew and bread, and Jacob had pole position in the family. In a moment of weakness, Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of stew. ESPN ranked the trade an F for Esau and an A for Jacob. Esau gave up a double portion of their inheritance, leadership authority over the family business, and a covenantal blessing in exchange for some lentils (I don't even know what lentils are).
In a moment of weakness and desperation, he compromised. What you compromise for today will lead to your captivity tomorrow.
"Isaac said to Esau, 'I have made Jacob your master and have declared that all his brothers will be his servants. I have guaranteed him an abundance of grain and wine- what is left for me to give you, my son?" (Genesis 27:37)
While Jacob was a deceiving manipulator, Esau allowed it. He wasn't worried about his future, just the right now. A master of instant gratification until it was too late.
What's your stew? Where in life do you compromise tomorrow to gratify yourself in the moment? What temptations do you give in to, what battles do you avoid, what compromises do you make out of ease, apathy, or convenience?
If I look over my life, both personally and in business, the majority of the areas that I have compromised on, I lived to regret.
Ultimately, after vowing out of anger to take Jacob out, Esau softened and, by the grace and mercy of God, forgave his brother some 20-odd years later, but the damage had been done. The family split, raised up separate tribes, and would be engaged in battles against each other for generations, with Esau's side, more often than not, getting the short end of the stick.
When it comes to matters of right and wrong, don't compromise.
Commit to principle and policy, not preference and pleasure. Today's compromise leads to tomorrow's captivity.
What's your stew?
