"Of Birthrights and Homemade Soup"

“Jacob gave him bread and the stew of lentils. He ate and drank, got up and left. That’s how Esau shrugged off his rights as the firstborn.” Genesis 25:14 (The Message)


My mother was really a pretty good cook, even though my dad used to joke that she didn’t even know how to boil water when they met. I would always look forward to the day after we had mashed potatoes for supper. She would whip up the best potato pancakes from the leftovers; fit for gravy or maple syrup. And her chili always made you think of a mountain cabin on a frosty night with a fire roaring in the fireplace.


But her homemade soup was another story! We had a huge chest freezer that sat in our garage. Every leftover from every meal that could not be immediately recycled was stored there. Containers waited out the freezing conditions filled with peas, carrots, extra ground beef, roast or pork. Frozen corn; canned, fresh or creamed joined the ranks. It didn’t matter if there was only enough for a mouse-size serving, it went into a plastic container and off to the cavernous freezer.

Then, when enough cartons had accumulated, Mom would decide it was time to make homemade soup. I usually found a friend’s house for supper on those occasions. She took everything that had been frozen out of the freezer and into the kitchen. I don’t think she ever labeled anything, either, so it was truly pot “luck”.

Into the pot they would go; the frozen veggies, from month-old lima beans to something that looked like spinach. It didn’t matter what animal it came from, every meat product from previous meals was thawed and thrown into the pot as well. It might have made a bit of difference in the flavor if Mom had used stock, but she started with water right out of the tap and boiled it all together. And it was horrid!

It always had little circles of oil collecting on the surface and no flavor was immediately distinct. It tasted like, well, what your whole meal would taste like if you just mashed it all together, poured hot water on it and spooned it up. It really was not fit for human consumption. But, Mom and Dad were raised to save everything, and they did just that. It taught me a bit of gastronomical discrimination!

That is the sort of meal that Esau gave his birthright away for. He was the elder of two twins and legally was heir to their father’s entire estate. But he was hungry. Instead of waiting, or at least trying to find a more palatable meal, he gave away his entire future for homemade soup.

It occurred to me that we often do the same. We are each born with a “birthright”. By birth, God has fitted each of us with talents, abilities and potential. Sometimes we must wait, and sometimes we must pass up lesser opportunities, but, given time and focus, we can develop our God-given birthright into something significant.

But we are often much too hungry now to develop the good thing God has for us. And, furthermore, we are also willing to accept the “lesser value” others put on us. “You aren’t worth any more than this bit of lentil soup”, we hear from others, and we begin to believe it.

Instead of listening to Father God and believing that we do, indeed, possess the birthright, we believe the “little lie” and give in to negative thinking about ourselves. We settle for unhappiness when we could have the joy of knowing we have an inheritance given us by God. We settle for momentary pleasure when we could have the fulfillment of knowing we are being used for something greater than ourselves.

Even apart from being born again, every single human being has a birthright. Every person born on this planet is heir to the gifts granted by God. For those who follow Christ, this birthright extends to eternity.

We are heirs to something greater than mere talents or human accomplishments. When we are “born the second time”, as Jesus describes it, we are invested with a birthright that takes us into the very heart of God. We are given a treasure chest of God’s best, a veritable inheritance of love, joy, peace and the rest of the outcome of being part of God’s family.

But, like Esau, we sometimes are hungry and let that hunger dictate our destiny. Esau must have thought his birthright had very little value at all to trade it for homemade soup. Perhaps he didn’t value himself at all.

If we would only learn to take upon ourselves the value with which God has measured us, we would live boldly and proudly for Him. Knowing the birthright we have as sons and daughters of God, why wouldn’t we let the gifts He has given us leap out and affect a world that is so often devalued?

We are the ones who can stand up and say, “You are not useless. Your life does have meaning. Don’t listen to those who call you stupid, puny or incapable. Turn a deaf ear to those who say your failure penalizes your future. You have a future, You have a birthright. Go, in the name of the One who gave His life and make a difference with His gifts working within you.”

Me, I still won’t touch Mom’s homemade soup, but I’m grateful to be raised by someone who knew the value of a person. What I found in Christ I saw exhibited in my mother first. God has made you for something. Your worth is proven by the price God paid for you. Stop undervaluing your place in God’s plan and get busy with the birthright promised by Your Heavenly Father.