Genesis 36 - Impact of Materialism

In this chapter we start with an interesting genealogy of Esau. Later we will see them conflicting again with the Isaelites, but for now I would like to consider just a couple of verses:

6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the people in his household, his livestock, his animals, and all his possessions which he had acquired in the land of Canaan and went to a land some distance away from Jacob his brother
7 because they had too many possessions to be able to stay together and the land where they had settled was not able to support them because of their livestock.
8 So Esau (also known as Edom) lived in the hill country of Seir.

Esau and Jacob had a lot of barriers to their relationship, but the final barrier was wealth. Riches can separate families for a lot of different reasons. In this case, riches were more important to Esau and he had to move away.

In moving away he occupied the land assigned to him by God and left Canaan for Jacob - his assigned land. Gods purposes are fulfilled in the separation of these two brothers. It was overly obvious that these two men had different priorities in life that so conflicted that they couldn't occupy common space.

It reminds me of the example that God gave of darkness and light. They cannot coexist - one must go If the other is to be present. In the same way, God being holy cannot be with sin. We are not to entertain sin in our lives if we have been redeemed by God.

Materialism separates us from God. It is an idol that should be abandoned. It is common for worldly lusts but should not be a part if Gods people.

Materialism separates us from other people too. The management of stuff can keep us from building relationships and diverts us from spending time with those we care for most.

Finally, materialism keeps us living in greed and prevents us from being generous. If we are hoarding stuff here we are not storing up for ourselves treasures in Heaven. This world and all that is in it is temporary. We will all live forever in either Heaven or Hell; or choices here reflect the condition of our heart.

Esau became forever separated from his brother and his homeland because he was living to amass wealth here. The relationship to his family forever broken because of his greed.

As you consider your relationship to God and to others, is stuff getting in your way? How can you today put people and God in their right places in your life? Don't allow possessions to dominate your living. God has given us his son Jesus Christ that we could live life fully. You don't want to miss out on this abundance that can only be found in belonging to The Lord.

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him.