Birthrights & Blesings
The book of Genesis is filled with sibling rivalries. Cain and Abel. Isaac and Ishmael. Joseph and his brothers. Then there is Jacob and Esau. At the peak of their contentions, Esau says to his father Jacob “He took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing (Gen, 26:36)!”
Birthright speaks to the inheritance of land, buildings and monetary assets. Blessing speaks more to the intangibles of approval and unconditional love. All the stuff you accumulate in the former is empty and meaningless, without the priceless gift found only in the latter.
All too often broken people are missing genuine blessings because they are busy chasing birthrights. Many pastors and ministers lead frustrating lives because they think success in ministry is merely about increasing attendance and finances or building new buildings. They think this makes them look good to their peers and those over them in the Lord, yet in the end, their sense of entitlement leaves them void of the blessing of unconditional love. I think Esau would tell us that the blessing is to be cherished above the birthright. In 49 years of ministry, I’ve learned three important lessons about birthrights and blessings.
Success that is seen on the outside, must flow from an enduring sense of inner wholeness in the soul. If a minister isn’t healthy in the secret places of his heart, the weight of ministry responsibilities will cause his/her life to implode. Gifts and talents must rest on the foundation of inner health in your soul.
Ministry that only tickles ears and stirs emotions falls short of the blessing of lasting transformation. Too much fast food and not enough healthy meals leads to a sick body. The same principle applies to a person’s soul and spirit. Christians need a healthy diet of the whole Word of God, instruction in the spiritual intimacy of personal prayer and worship, and the application of both in their everyday lives.
Only blessed people can bless others. It is simple. You can’t pass on to others what you have not experienced. The beauty of the gospel is that Jesus came to heal and redeem us from the inside out. You may not have received it from your family of origin, but your heavenly Father offers it to you through the unconditional love of Jesus for you. As you let him sow the blessing of His love in you, that love will flow out of you to enrich all of those to which you minister.