March 2024

Esau chose poorly when he chose a wife, that much is sure. We know little about Judith, but what the Word does tell us is enough. In some way, she “brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah” (Genesis 26:35). It’s possible that this friction is caused purely by spiritual disagreements. Judith may have been a “lovely […]

Sibling rivalries are no joke. I believe that humanity is inherently kind, but it can’t escape notice that the very first physical death on this earth (that’s recorded) was not of natural causes, but a murder.  And not just any murder, but one brother murdering his own brother. That’s a sad commentary on the state

It’s hard for me to write about this particular period in the Bible.  That’s not because I have a hard time understanding it intellectually, but because I have a hard time discussing it emotionally. For context, Jacob steals the birthright in Genesis 27:27-30. He then exits stage left, and Esau walks into the room. The

I’m the youngest of three kids, so I’m used to getting the short end of the stick. I was always the last one picked for everything, always had to get my presents last on Christmas, ETCETERA ETCETERA. When I played basketball with my two older brothers in the driveway, I was always the one that

In modern times, it’s hard for us to understand the importance of a “birthright.” To be fair, we understand the idea of leaving something behind for your children. Whether that’s an inheritance, a business empire, or just simply a good name (or a bad name), we all inherently understand the link between us and our

Anyone who has ever had to deal with adversity in life knows that some of the hardest days come after the battle is over. Maybe we’re struggling with a friendship that’s gone haywire. Maybe it’s a health condition that consistently ails us. Maybe our financial situation is such a mess we think it’ll take years

For most of Genesis, the people of God had been friends with their neighbors (for the most part). By Genesis 26, however, that changes. The hostility surrounding Abraham and now Isaac’s increasing wealth has reached a fever pitch. It’s no longer about mutual cooperation — it’s full-on competition. Isaac understands this when Abimelech approaches him

I’m pretty sure very kid charges their parents with playing favorites at some point. It’s only natural. One child thinks their punishment is harsher, the other kids treat sweeter, or some other kind of inequality. And since the people making these accusations are children, their opinion is probably missing a smidge of objectivity. I would

I’m a big fan of alternate history. In fact, I did a whole 13-week class during the Pandemic called “What If.” In it, we took various Biblical stories and tried to figure out what it would have been like if something had turned out differently. What if Moses didn’t intercede on Mount Sinai? What if

Ah, in-laws. Who doesn’t love them? Family dynamics can be tricky, but when you bright other people into your already-existing family, it can sometimes make a mess. Personalities clash, values may not align, and before you know it, Thanksgiving dinner becomes an exercise in biting your tongue. Not everyone was as fortunate as Isaac, though,