... that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.  (Hebrews 12:16 ESV)

Sin is irrational; we can sell our Christian birthright for immediate pleasure like Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup.

Think about this.  Esau sold his birthright with all its blessings and honors for a single bowl of soup. What was he thinking?  The truth of the matter is, he wasn’t thinking.  His emotions were ruling him.

We are all tempted by our feelings and emotions. Suppose you think you can become so spiritual that you are above temptation; you on the path to a moral failure.  When the temptations come, and they will, we need to think about the consequences if we submit to them.

What are the consequences to us, our loved ones, or most importantly, to our relationship with God?  Long after the feeling of pleasure is gone, we will have to deal with the consequences.

Allowing short-term pleasure to rule our lives will always bring long-term pain.  Giving up something that will last for a long time, to get something that will last for a moment, is not rational.

Emotions are good, but only if developed within the limits of God’s reasonable guidelines.  Choices in obedience to God’s Word should control our emotions, not our feelings determining our actions.

Esau did not wake up one morning and make a wrong choice.  To make a decision that was so illogical showed his character. He must have been saying yes to things that God was saying no for a long time.

Sow enough thoughts in disobedience to God’s Word, and you will reap an irrational action.  Just say no when God says no; don’t be foolish.

I worked for seventeen years as a missionary with Youth With A Mission.  My missionary work has taken me to Mexico, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Spain, and Ukraine.  I hold a Masters of Education in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University.  [email protected]