Forgiveness

Genesis 33:1-4

Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. He put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. He himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother.

But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

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There are people in your life
Who've come and gone
They let you down
You know they hurt your pride
You better put it all behind you, baby
'Cause' life goes on
If you keep carrying that anger
It'll eat you up inside, baby

I've been trying to get down
To the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness, forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me

"The Heart of the Matter" recorded by Don Henley written by J.D. Souther, Don Henley, and Mike Campbell

There's an old saying that holding a grudge, not forgiving, is like drinking poison and hoping the other person gets sick and dies.

The truth of the old saying that you forgive not to benefit the other person but to benefit yourself is great; and easier said than done.

Jacob made a living taking from Esau. He took Esau's birthright for a bowl of stew and with his mother's help, conned his father's blessing from him too. Jacob means "ankle grabber" which is how he left the womb hot on his brother's heels. It has also been translated usurper. If anybody had a cause to hold a grudge it's Esau. And he probably did. He probably did for a good long time.

Of course scripture is quiet about what's happening in Esau's life while Jacob is with Laban. Laban who also thinks Jacob is usurping everything within arm's reach. Esau has been blessed. It was said he too will father a nation and it appears this word is coming true. But here's something important about Esau, when his little brother comes into town they meet with a kiss.

Jacob is so afraid of this meeting he doesn't even bring his whole family. Half go a different direction so if Esau kills Jacob and this group another will survive.

Jacob bows and scrapes. Despite this greeting, Esau comes and greets his brother with a kiss. It seems that Esau has forgiven his little brother's transgressions, his tresspasses, his debts. They meet not at the point of sword and spear, but with a kiss.

Jacob hurt Esau. He hurt his pride, he took his place in the family, he took the place his earthly father etched out for him. He was a victim of an elaborate rouse which cost him his father's blessing. He could have let this eat him from the inside out but based on this description from Genesis Esau is living another modern expression. "Living well is the best revenge."

People hurt us all the time. It's the nature of life. It's the nature of sin. But in the end if we can manage forgiveness, forgiveness modeled for us in Christ, and in this case in Esau, we will be better people and we will be better off.