A Family Reunion                                                The Rev. Dr. Patricia Ramsden

Genesis 33: 1-17                                                            Aug. 28, 2011           

 

            The last time Jacob saw Esau, Esau was in a rage threatening to kill him --- and for good reason.  Jacob had tortured him since the two of them first struggled in the womb as twins, fighting and jockeying for the position of first born. 

Never satisfied with being second best, Jacob had conned Esau out of his inheritance and then by lying and scheming, Jacob had stolen Esau’s blessing from their dying father.  Needless to say, there was no love lost between them.   So Jacob was not expecting a warm, loving reception upon his return.  What he expected was a battle.  What he expected was war. 

So when he heard Esau was coming to greet him with four hundred fighting men, Jacob prepared for a fight to the death and tried to think of the best way to cut his losses.   And he started by offering Esau things, a lot of things.  After all, things had always meant a lot to Jacob and to Esau, so maybe things could mend even their broken relationship and prevent a family slaughter. 

So there he was, sending across the river 200 she-goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 30 milk camels and all their colts, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 she-asses, 10 he-asses, three calling birds, two French hens, and a partridge in the pear tree. 

(I added those last three, but honestly doesn’t it remind you of all those presents at Christmas when we try to buy everyone’s affection with the biggest and best gifts we can imagine?)

There they went, a small fortune, all wrapped up in a bow, but still Esau and his men kept coming.  Now Jacob was really worried.  If things weren’t going to work what would?  What if it was going to come down to a knock down drag out fight?  He had better arrange the family with the ones he loved best farthest from harm’s way.  And you know what that meant.   Concubines and their children in the front and then, right behind the slaves, Leah and her children, and behind them, in the safest place of all, Rachel and Joseph. 

Then Jacob, this proud man, slowly moved forward in front of them all, bowing to the ground with every step he took, praying not to be killed in the process.  You can almost feel the fear and the tension in the air.  The silence was so thick, you could almost hear Jacob’s trembling.

Then the miracle!  Beyond all belief, beyond, all expectation, Esau pulled up his robes and ran to Jacob.  He threw his arms around his brother, and kissed him. 

Now, men in position, in those days and times did not run.  It was beneath them.  It betrayed their dignity, but Esau did not stand on dignity.  Esau just knew his brother was back.  And he didn’t want the gifts either.  What good were gifts to him?  He had enough, he protested.  Besides, he had the best gift of all in Jacob. 

It reminds you of another family reunion doesn’t it?  Another younger son who took the family’s wealth and father’s blessing and went away to live a life free of family responsibilities, while the older son stayed home and took care of business. 

That younger son, too, finally returns home, knowing he has done wrong, knowing that the best he can expect is a slave’s job working in the fields.  And yet, there he is, greeted by his father, running to him, kissing him, hearing nothing of apologies, wanting nothing to do with the past, instead wanting only to celebrate the “now”. 

And there is the older brother, a different brother than Esau, holding on to the grudge, the mistakes, the desire for justice to be done.  An older brother who refuses to enter into a party celebrating forgiveness and love. 

So…… which brother are you becoming?  Because I think it is a process of becoming.  I don’t think a light switch went on when Esau saw Jacob and he went from a murderous rage to a forgiving saint all in one second.  He, too, had had twenty years to grow and change --- and change he did.  I have to admit I am fascinated by the untold story of all that happened to Esau and his heart during those missing years.  I want to know what made him so forgiving and so loving so I can follow that path as well. 

But in the wisdom of God I will never know, for my path must be my own, just as yours must be your own as well, but one thing is clear: over time, as life happens and we respond to its ups and downs , its heartaches and joys, we will either become more like Esau, with an open heart, ready to love and accept even those who have hurt us, or we will be more like the prodigal’s brother,  bitter and alone,  refusing to even go into the party of forgiveness.

What I want, more than anything, is to grow so much into love and grace that others will say of me, what Jacob said to Esau in the moment of their embrace, “Surely, to see your face is like seeing the face of God.”

 May the same be said of you as well.