The one thing I learned from growing up in the Roman Catholic Church was to follow the Golden Rule. This biblical principle comes from Jesus’ interaction with a lawyer in Matthew 22:35-40. While trying to trick Jesus into de-emphasizing one of the ten commandments, Jesus responds with two calls to action. First, love God with all your heart and second, love your neighbor as yourself. This is the golden rule: treating others as you want to be treated.
And Jacob said to his father, I am Esau your firstborn; I have done what you told me to do. Now sit up and eat of my game, so that you may proceed to bless me. 20 And Isaac said to his son, How is it that you have found the game so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord your God caused it to come to me. 21 But Isaac said to Jacob, Come close to me, I beg of you, that I may feel you, my son, and know whether you really are my son Esau or not. 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac, and his father felt him and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23 He could not identify him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him, Genesis 27:19-23.
Based upon his upbringing, Jacob was taught to be a decent human being. While Moses does mention that Esau behaved like a typical older brother, Jacob grew up to be the shy child in the family. Despite this sibling rivalry, Jacob didn’t like what his mother was planning. The more Jacob thought about Rebekah’s plan, his conscience got the best of him, fearing the worst-case scenario. From a mother’s perspective, Rebekah wanted this more than doing the right thing.
But he said, Are you really my son Esau? He answered, I am. 25 Then [Isaac] said, Bring it to me and I will eat of my son’s game, that I may bless you. He brought it to him and he ate; and he brought him wine and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said, Come near and kiss me, my son. 27 So he came near and kissed him; and [Isaac] smelled his clothing and blessed him and said, The scent of my son is as the odor of a field which the Lord has blessed, Genesis 27:24-27.
Like a politician who gets elected by defaming his opponent’s character with a lie, any individual who is hungry for control and power will do whatever it takes to win. Unfortunately, Rebekah’s scheme to steal Esau’s blessing has been copied, enhanced and multiplied by countless self-seeking people today. Is this due to the removal of the Ten Commandments from public places or merely the byproduct of a fallen world? Whatever the reason, maybe it’s time to reintroduce the golden rule so that doing the right thing will quench any desires to want something more.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 