Today’s
Scripture Reading (April 27, 2012): Genesis 28
As parents, we know that we are not supposed to have favorites. Each child
is born different, but that difference doesn’t make one better than the other.
I love my kids, even though they are very different from each other. It is that
uniqueness that makes them so valuable. And I really hope that they realize
that – and know the incredible strengths that they each possess.
One of the features of the story of Isaac, Rebekah and their sons is
that in a lot of ways a story of what we would call a dysfunctional family. It
is the story of a family that just doesn’t work – at least not the way that we
think it should. Both of the parents had a son that was their favorite – and apparently
they didn’t even try to pretend that that wasn’t the case. On the surface, it
would be easy to imagine the argument that could have resulted from the story
of the stolen blessing that Esau experienced at the hands of Jacob. We know
that Esau felt betrayed by Jacob and possibly even by his mother who was the
brains behind the scheme to steal the blessing away from him. But sometime we
forget the incredible sense of betrayal that Isaac must have also felt from the
actions of his son and his wife.
Yet, it is not betrayal that we read as the story continues. The next
words are not words of anger by Isaac, but of an incredible sense of
forgiveness. In spite of what Jacob had done, Isaac gives him a second
blessing. And in spite of the actions that Rebekah had undertaken to trick her
husband, his concern is so great for her that he gives Jacob a final request -
one that will honor his mother.
Sometimes it is so easy to withhold blessing and forgiveness to the ones
that are closest to us. But even in the midst of dysfunction, Isaac shows us
the forgiveness that every family needs to share.
Tomorrow’s
Scripture Reading: Genesis 29
No comments:
Post a Comment