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SCRIPTURE READING: GENESIS 25:21-34

The birth of Esau and Jacob.

REFLECTION 

The theme for today’s reflection is ” all have a place in God’s story”. A story is an account of past events in someone’s life or in the development of something. The world is an account of past, present and future event being unfolded by God in accordance to how humanity exercises their will. It is important that both good and bad events, good and bad people have a place in God’s story. For now, the plots of the story may seem unclear to us but it is perfectly known to God.  Our actions and inactions towards one another will determine how each and everyone successfully end his or her role in God’s story. 

The focus on the characters who have a place in God’s story is Jacob and Esau. These two like any other human being have their personalities, strengths, and flaws. Right from their mother’s womb, we are told “The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:22-23). In other words, both children are gifts from God and they all have a place in God’s story although they will be divided with their unique traits. 

Believers, especially guardians and parents are to give equal attention, care and love to the best of their ability to their children since these children have a place in God’s story. We realised that Isaac and Rebekah did not love their children equally but chose one over the other. “When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.” (Genesis 25:27-28) Conditional love and preferential treatment of a child designated as the favourite of his or her parent to the disadvantage of his or her siblings’ brews bitterness and rivalry among children.  Unfortunately, some grow to have grudges with their siblings because of the parental favoritism they enjoyed. This was the reason Joseph was hated by his brothers. “Now Jacob loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.” Genesis 37:3-4. Jacob repeated the same mistake of parental favoritism when he loved Joseph more than his brothers. This parental favoritism would become one of the main reasons Joseph was grossly hated by his brothers. 

The key lesson of today’s reflection is that all children and indeed all human beings are created in the image and likeness of God and must be treated equally because we all have a place in God’s story. Parents and guardians must try as much as possible to give equal attention, love, and care to all children under their care to avoid division and rivalry among them because these precious gifts from God have a place in God’s story.  Shalom. 

PRAYER 

ALMIGHTY GOD, EMPOWER US TO SHOW UNCONDITIONAL LOVE TO ALL SINCE WE ALL HAVE A PLACE IN YOUR STORY. AMEN

Jean-Paul Agidi(Rev)