Family Dysfunction

 Genesis 27-28

            There’s nothing particularly difficult to understand in today’s reading about the rivalry between Jacob and Esau. One might ask, “What’s the difference between the birthright that Esau sold for a bowl of soup and the blessing Jacob stole?” The answer there seems to be the blessing was the final ratification of the birthright, so when Jacob “stole” it he was really just making sure the Esau gave him what he had promised. Other than that, it’s just an ugly story of a dysfunctional family. We’ve already read that Isaac favored Esau and Rebekah favored Jacob (25:28). Now we see Rebekah plotting to fool her own husband. And let’s be clear: this was quite the heist! We read yesterday Isaac’s great wealth (26:12-14), the majority of which would go to the one designated the heir. No wonder Esau was filled with rage! He was finally caught in the consequences of a stupid, youthful mistake, and Jacob (and Rebekah!) wasn’t going to allow any takesy-backsies!

            The longer I minister, the longer I think, “Every family is broken in some kind of way,” even the family of the promise. I’ve ministered to families that look normal on a casual view only to find out that there are brothers who haven’t talked in decades. I’ve ministered to families that seem strong and close only to see them attack each other when it is time to settle the parents’ estate. The examples multiply. If your family isn’t a fit subject for a Norman Rockwell painting, you are certainly not alone. This is the ongoing power of sin, and it doesn’t exempt anyone. Sometimes we want to pretend that we Christians live in perfect little families, but we don’t. What we live in is the grace of God, a grace which helps us forgive those who hurt us, a grace which opens the possibility of reconciliation, a grace which promises us final restoration for Jesus’ sake—which is the reason we care about Isaac’s family at all, since out of them came Christ our Savior! So, if you read about Isaac’s family and see comparisons to your own, take heart! Not because yours is not the only broken family but because out of the brokenness of Isaac’s family, the Lord has brought healing and redemption in the death and resurrection of Jesus!