How do you react when someone intentionally does you wrong? Hopefully, most of you know the story of Jacob and his older brother Esau. First, Jacob took advantage of Esau and stole his birthright, which belonged to the first-born. (Gen. 25:27-34)
Later, Isaac sent his favorite son Esau out to hunt game, and bring him a meal. He told Esau that when he returned, he would give him the family blessing. As you probably know, Jacob tricked his blind old father into giving him the blessing instead of giving it to Esau. If it’s been a long time since you heard this, you should read the story in Genesis 27:1-29.
We’ll pick up the story after Isaac is tricked into blessing Jacob.
Genesis 27:30-33
30 Now it came about,
as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had hardly gone out
from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his
hunting.
31 Then he also made
savory food, and brought it to his father; and he said to his father, "Let
my father arise and eat of his son's game, that you may bless me."
32 Isaac his father
said to him, "Who are you?" And he said, "I am your son, your
firstborn, Esau."
33 Then Isaac
trembled violently, and said, "Who was he then that hunted game and
brought it to me, so that I ate of all of it before you came, and blessed him? Yes,
and he shall be blessed."
Notice the reaction of Isaac. He could have reneged on his blessing to Jacob. After all, Jacob had not only deceived Isaac, but had even invoked the Lord’s name in doing it! He could easily have said, “That deceitful old Jacob is trying it again, I’m not going to let him get away with it!” But Isaac didn’t react the way most people (myself included probably) would have reacted. He may have been old and blind, but his spiritual eyes are open! Isaac recognized the fact that even if Jacob had deceived him to get the blessing, GOD HAD ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN. Isaac was preparing to give the blessing to Esau, and the Lord overruled him!
Think about poor Esau. All he did was do exactly as his father asked him, and now he has had the blessing stolen from him. How does he react?
Genesis 27:38-41
38 Esau said to his
father, "Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also,
O my father." So Esau lifted his voice and wept.
39 Then Isaac his
father answered and said to him,
"Behold, away
from the fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling,
And
away from the dew of heaven from above.
40 "By your
sword you shall live,
And your brother you
shall serve;
But it shall come
about when you become restless,
That
you will break his yoke from your neck."
41 So Esau bore a
grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed
him; and Esau said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are
near; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
Jacob deceived both of them. Isaac had to be disappointed, because Esau was his favorite. Esau did just like he was told, and now he was getting nothing.
Esau saw only the deceiver, and promised revenge. Isaac saw the hand of God in the situation. Which way do you want to be? It’s an absolute guarantee – people will intentionally and maliciously hurt you some time in your life; even people close to you. Do you want to be like Esau, and carry the grudge around forever, or do you want to be like Isaac? We can only bear the pain people inflict on us when we take a step back and see them as instruments of God.
There’s another great example of a believer who had this same attitude when wronged, and it just happens to be Isaac’s grandson! Remember the words of Joseph, when his brothers begged forgiveness (again, but that’s another story) for selling him into slavery?
Genesis 50:20
20 "As for you, you
meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring
about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
When (notice I didn’t say if) someone intentionally deceives you, wrongs you, or hurts you, take a step back and see God’s hand in the situation. He is certainly powerful and knowledgeable enough to have prevented the situation! If He allowed it to happen, then He meant it for the ultimate good.
Gives you a whole new perspective on being mistreated, doesn’t it?