Being the Overlooked

    No one wants to live and think that they are not special, important, or wanted.  God made you, so you are all of those things even if the rest of the world may not see it.  However, when you look back throughout Genesis to where we are today, God always chose certain people over others.  We always look at the chosen ones and see the special relationship.  We want that too, but what does life look like for those that God did not choose to esteem?  It is God's prerogative to lift whomever he wants up or lower people to humility.  We can all have a personal relationship with God and each relationship is blessed in certain ways.  However, the majority of faithful followers will never be lifted up be a Beth Moore(inspirational writer), Priscilla Shirer (breaking the mold), Bill Gates (financial), Charles Stanley (respected pastor), or Martin Luther King (revolutionary leader).

    Esau was Jacob's twin, but Jacob got everything and Esau the left overs.  He made some bad decisions that he never truly recovered from like selling his birthright for food, marrying Canaanite women, and allowing his anger to control him.  However, God could have used all that.  Before he was even born, God had chosen Jacob.  Nothing was ever going to change that fact.  I think God could have done more in Esau's life if He had been allowed God to work in his heart.  He was unhappy in life, but he never turned to God.  You may not be the chosen person, but God still has purpose for you.  He still wants a personal relationship.  Everyone can't be in the spot light, but you can do so much behind the scenes.  

    After Isaac died, it was like Esau threw in the towel.  He wanted away from his brother, so he picked up his family for the first time and became the father of the Edomites.  He had power and position, but he was never lifted up in history because God chose it to be that way.  It may had been different if his choices had been different.  He may had felt overlooked, but his life was vital for an entire nation to exist.

    Israel (Jacob) stayed in Canaan to never move again.  His life became settled as Esau's life seems to become unglued.  I think all Esau wanted was the respect of his father.  I don't think he ever felt like he had it, even if he had.  We will never meet everyone's expectations or desires for us.  We need to focus on following God daily.  He will lead us one step at a time.  It probably will not be toward fame and glory, but it is a good life.  Beside, think of all the extra drama you have to endure to be famous.  The pressure you have to endure to be in the center of attention all the time.  The overlooked can breath easy in comparison.

Genesis 36