“And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for one meal.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:16‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

“Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field exhausted. He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I’m exhausted.” That is why he was also named Edom. 

Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 

“Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die, so what good is a birthright to me? ” 

Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to Jacob and sold his birthright to him. Then Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to Esau; he ate, drank, got up, and went away. So Esau despised his birthright.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭25:29-34‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/gen.25.29-34.hcsb

A birthright is not something we hear much in America. But it would be what the firstborn would be entitled to at the time of the father’s death. I have heard at one time that the inheritance of the firstborn would be two thirds. And the rest of the children would share the last third. But then as the firstborn, they would be in charge of the family when the father passed away. They would have to take care of the wives of the father. They would have to take care of all unmarried sisters. There would be a lot waiting for the firstborn. But Esau despised the responsibility to take care of these things. He was hungry and gave up his right to two-thirds inheritance and the responsibilities that waited for him for one meal, to please his stomach. 

Who of us will be willing to sell off everything God has for us one meal of sin? If we were, to be honest none of us would want to because we know the consequences would be severe. But how many of us have a sin we do every day that keeps us from God’s full potential. We have already sold out to sin and not become sold out for God. I am not even talking about the “big” sins but little ones like laziness, or eating too much, control, or gossip. 

As I was preparing to start reading my Bible this morning God was wanting me to say something in prayer to Him, out loud. And I could not say it because of fear of losing control. I want to maintain control, but who better to lose control for and to but God. For if God is not in control then it is either me or the devil. I need to work on giving God the control I want to be in control of. 

I guess I have not been reverent in that manner to God. In what other areas am I not willing to submit to God in reverence? In what areas am I not being morally correct to God? 

Make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person among you. This is either a call to us to disciple others to make sure that they are lining up with the reverence and moral standards God is holding us to. Or it is a command to kick out all those who are not up to par. But here is the fact of the matter no one is up to par until we get to heaven. So the second option to kick out those who don’t measure up is not valid and if we did it would not be based on God’s standard but on man’s. Which would be sin. Because God is not a respecter of what man uses as standards, height, money, or social status, but He looks at the heart of all of us to find a person who is sold out for Him and is willing to be reverent and moral for Him.

“During His earthly life, He offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the One who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/heb.5.7.hcsb

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭16:7‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/1sa.16.7.hcsb

“Then Peter began to speak: “Now I really understand that God doesn’t show favoritism, but in every nation the person who fears Him and does righteousness is acceptable to Him.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭10:34-35‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/act.10.34-35.hcsb