He commanded the one in front, saying, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and to whom do these animals in front of you belong?’ then you shall say, ‘These belong to your servant Jacob; it is a present sent to my lord Esau. And behold, he also is behind us.'” Genesis 32:17-18)

Now he arose that same night and took his two wives and his two maids and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
He took them and sent them across the stream. And he sent across whatever he had. Jacob Wrestles (Genesis 32:22-23)

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Selfishness is expensive. Sin comes high. It costs time, strength, heartache, and bitter tears. Jacob was terribly frightened when he was willing to part with all that valuable livestock, the choicest he had, representing long years of sweat and skill and sleepless nights. That was the rarest wealth to him. It was for just such wealth he had cheated and deceived and lied. Sin’s charges are terribly high. Selfishness is awfully expensive. Better stop before you start.

“The Bent Knee Time” Samuel D. Gordon