What I wish I would have known...when I was a teenager

GENESIS 25-28

"Fear no, for I am with thee, and will bless thee"

I always wanted an instruction manual for my teenage years. 

And now, that I am nearly passed the time that some have labeled "those terrible teenage" years, I appreciate President Monson who called it, "the terrific teenage" years....I realize that a guide for my teenage years was there all along in Genesis, and I was too ignorant to find it. 

These few chapters alone make inspire me to be a Seminary teacher. And these are definitely chapters that can really influence the path we choose to make in our future life. 

I liken the story of Jacob and Esau to our daily life today. Making their story--OUR story. 

This is the story of two brothers, born from Isaac (son of Abraham & Sarah) and Rebekah. 

Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. And if you look down in verse 26, you see that Isaac was threescore when Rebekah gave birth. (Score=20, so times by 3, equals 60 years old.)

Isaac and Rebekah are one of my favorite couples in the scriptures. 

"And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife..." why? "because she was barren...." They couldn't have children for 20 years. This makes me wonder how many heartfelt, sincere and pleading prayers were offered in between those 20 years of a trial of their faith--between marriage and birth.

Not only does it talk about Isaac intreating of the Lord, but in verse 22, Rebekah says, "If it be so, why am I thus? and she went to enquire of the Lord." This is a very righteous couple indeed. Rather then turning away from God in their extremities, they turned towards God by never cutting off their communication with them and offering their hearts in prayer for 20 years. 

Rebekah had a vision..."two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be seperated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." At the time, this was of significance because the elder serving the younger was against the cultural norm. 

The Elder Son: Esau... "cunning hunter"

The Younger: Jacob..."a plain man"

The difference between the two. Esau doesn't value his covenants or his birthright, he wanted pleasure now. Jacob, cherishes his covenants, and remains an eternal perspective in all of his dealings. 

"Jacob said, 'Sell me this day thy birthright...:

"Esau said, 'what profit shall this birthright do to me?'"

"And he sold his birthright unto Jacob....then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles....and Esau despised his birthright." 

Q: So whats the big deal?
A: "The Birthright is the right or inheritance of one of the sons, and he was usually the first born, His inheritance included land and the authority to preside upon the death of the father."

Esau eventually marries outside of the covenant...really selling his birthright with this actions. And 26:36-38 we read of Esau's reaction when he doesn't get the birthright. "He took away my birthright...he hath taken away from me..." Esau essentially blames Jacob for taking away his birthright, and does not take accountability for himself. "Esau lifted up his voice and wept." Now Esau values his birthright after he lost it. 

This becomes My Story:

After reading the story of the birthright, some questions to ponder might be....

-My 'noble birthright' is to become like my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, what am I doing today and always to show that I 'cherish' that?

-What are some "pottages" today that others are selling their birthright for, and how do I avoid falling into that?

-When are times when I have made choices, and blame them on others like Esau did to Jacob? 

-What can I do to prevent having a moment in my future where I realize that I lost something really important after it was too late? 

The greatest lesson I have learned from all of this, is to obey--follow my own mother and father and my Heavenly Father. Obedience is the chief-cornerstone for Happiness. I will always be accountable for my actions--because there is a consequence to everything (good and bad). Decide now to make the right choices and follow our Heavenly Father, because we don't want to give away what we have now for something that is not of value or worth--that is when the true sorrow comes. In my teenage mind I was an Esau with that fixated mind of the "now, now, now," but if we could only appreciate the eternal perspective....there we would find where all the happiness and joy can be found. Lastly, as Genesis continues, about ten chapters later, Esau and Jacob reunite--which is one of the sweetest reunites in the scriptures. After much hatred and problems they "embrace one another..." I think the greatest lesson I learned is from that is when President Monson said, "Never let a problem to be solved, more important than a person to be loved." Yes, things may happen in life where we lose something so valuable and we don't even know it...but don't let that stop us from being loving to one another.