MOTIVE MORE THAN EMOTION

Now it came about, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had hardly gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. Then he also made savory food, and brought it to his father; and he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.” Isaac his father said to him, “Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” Then Isaac trembled violently, and said, “Who was he then that hunted game and brought it to me, so that I ate of all of it before you came, and blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” And he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.”
Then he said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob, for he has supplanted me these two times? He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” (Genesis 27:30-36)


Weak impulses or bad ones, yielded to. are hard on the tear-ducts. There’s bound to be a bad emotional storm before the thing’s over. Tears are very impressive; they sway a lot of people. But one should look through the tear-mist to see what motive controls. Motive is more than emotion. If Esau had been thoughtfully right in his motives beforehand, his emotions wouldn’t be having such a hard time now.

“The Bent Knee Time” Samuel D. Gordon