* DISCLAIMER: After taking a look around the site, I hope by now my approach to understanding these stories is clear. These articles are not sermons passing  along God’s instructions for us. Rather, my intent is to illuminate the problems man has been facing time immemorial due to the inherent flaws in our nature, and provide the lessons we can take away from the failures and successes of those that have come before us. A secular sermon if you will. My deductions are by no means “the way” or the only interpretation of meaning. I simply hope through my sharing of them you are able to see patterns between them and the lessons you have learned in your own life.

The Story of Isaac: After the death of Abraham, God’s blessing was bestowed upon his son Isaac. Below are the stories that detail the trials and life of Isaac and his family.

Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:19-34): Isaac, as the son of Abraham, had a personal relationship with God and also a great inheritance. Isaac married a woman named Rebekah with whom he was unable to organically sire any children. Isaac pleaded with God to give Rebekah a child for which they received two warring sons: Jacob and Esau. The boys, who began fighting in the womb, would go on to lead two embattled nations of which the younger (Jacob) would ultimately conquer the older (Esau). Esau was a more active and traditionally masculine boy who preferred hunting and spending time outdoors, while the younger Jacob preferred to stay at home and cook. Critical to this story is the fact that Esau, as the oldest of the twins, was entitled to 2/3’s of his family’s estate (primogeniture). Given their proclivities (and perhaps due in part to a subconscious acknowledgement of his future rights), Isaac was said to favor Esau.

One day, after arriving home from an exhausting hunt, Esau begged Jacob for a quick, hearty, and large bowl of stew. As any jealous younger brother would, Jacob acknowledged Esau’s request and demanded a gift in return. Jacob offered that he would be willing to extinguish his brother’s hunger in exchange for his birthright. Esau was so hungry he acquiesced and swore away his birthright (patriarchal family leadership and double the inheritance) for a bowl of stew…

Understand: At its core, this story is akin to the marshmallow test: those who can remain disciplined and temperate in the face of temptation shall be rewarded with greater opportunities in the future. I find the virtue of delayed gratification to be such a beautifully simple concept to explain, however, as is often the case, the devil lies in turning understanding into action.

Delayed gratification is the ability to control ones impulses, a world defining characteristic brought to us by the the homo sapien brain’s most newly formed region, the prefrontal cortex. The power of subduing one’s impulses and the implications of doing so were most simply and famously studied in what is known as “the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment” conducted by professor Walter Mischel initially in 1972. In the experiment, young children (from 4-6 years of age) were presented with two plates, one with one marshmallow, and another with two marshmallows. The researcher would then inform the children that they were about to leave the room, and that if all three marshmallows remained when they returned then the child could eat all three. However, if the child was unable to wait they could feel free to eat the single marshmallow while the researcher was gone. Mischel then revisited the children’s parents 15 years later to find that those children who had displayed the greatest signs of impulse control had succeeded the most academically and had suffered the least self-inflicted set backs (i.e. crime and punishment).

The human mind is a fickle beast besieged by distracting thoughts that seem to bubble up or float into our awareness without any intention. Below these thoughts are impulses that urge us to betray the better angels of our nature. The ability to notice these mental deviations from your intended thought process or pattern is a powerful first step to regaining control of your life from your lower brain.

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.” – Henry David Thoreau

What: Verse/quotation	So What: Moral of the story	Now What: Application/technique
25:33 “So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his right as the firstborn to his younger brother[…] Esau ate and drank and went on about his business indifferent to the fact that he had given up his birthright.”	Giving in to immediate desires can often cost us future opportunities. Consider drug use and future employer drug screening (not to mention the erosion of one’s will and the hijacking of one’s mind from addiction). Consider sexual impulses and unplanned parenthood or STD contraction (not to mention the darker anti-social implications of not controlling one’s sexual impulses).	Practice visualizing the second and third-order effects of your actions and reactions. This may be particularly easy when you are contemplating a decision that will require great effort and action, however this is much more challenging to implement when you find yourself responding to a situation, an offer, or a time-sensitive opportunity.

Remember: The decisions you make and actions you take today alter the branches of your future path forward. Don’t be so quick to forfeit your tomorrow, for a little pleasure, entertainment, or pain relief today. Pay special attention to those moments when you feel compelled to act immediately. Ask yourself “What is driving the pace of this decision? Is that driving force valid?”

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Isaac and Abimelech (Genesis 26:1-35): Fleeing famine, Issac moves to Gerar, the land of the Philistine’s ruled by King Abimelech. God tells Isaac to stay in Gerar, and if he does he and his descendants will be blessed, and that his descendants will be “as numerous as the stars.” God also proclaims that through these descendants, “all the nations of the earth will be blessed.”

While Isaac takes God up on this command, he appears doubting of the promise as he lies to the locals and tells them his wife Rebekah is actually his sister. King Abimelech ultimately learns the truth and is furious and hurt by the deceit. When confronted by King Abimelech, Isaac explains that he feared the men would’ve murdered him to take Rebekah if they’d have known the truth. King Abimelech is furious because adultery is a great sin, and so any man who would’ve laid with Rebekah would be doomed to hell. And he is hurt by the deceit because of the implications of Isaac’s distrust. Shockingly, and for reasons unexplained, Abimelech proclaims to all that “anyone who harms this man or his wife will die!”

While the above faux pas didn’t threaten Isaac’s stay in the kingdom, his subsequent extraordinary farming success would. Isaac had an abundant harvest and flourishing flock that drew the ire of all around. The Philistines were so jealous they sabotaged Isaac’s wells and King Abimelech told him to leave the country. Isaac ends up in Beersheba where God appears to him once more and offers the same blessing as he had when Isaac first arrived in Gerar.

Appreciating the continued success Isaac appeared to be finding, King Abimelech concluded that Isaac must have God on his side. So one day King Abimelech and his advisors visit Isaac to extend a treaty to the blessed man. Since the King had sent Isaac off in peace, Isaac accepted and they swore an oath of non-aggression.

Understand: This story has two characters and different lessons can be learned depending on who you focus on. On the one-hand, we find Isaac who continues to move forward, restart, and build success without dwelling on what had been taken from him. This is a lesson in the link between resilience, optimism, and success. A relationship that has proven to be positively correlated.

On the other hand we have King Abimelech. At the outset, he is offended by Isaac’s deception about Rebekah. Understandably so as Isaac’s lie implies that King Abimelech’s people are barbaric, and the fallout from this lie could’ve led a man to commit the great sin of adultery. However, when confronting Isaac, King Abimelech takes a stand to protect Isaac against what was likely an angry public. This is a powerfully magnanimous move befitting a king. Furthermore, after his people begin to sabotage Isaac’s farming operation, King Abimelech tells him to leave the country. This could be interpreted as an expression of his peoples’ jealousy, or perhaps it was to protect Isaac from the Philistines. Finally, after watching Isaac flourish the king visits Isaac to mend the past and ease the future. Another benevolent (or at least God-fearing) move from the king.

Isaac embodies the virtues of the man in the arena. The one who weathers every sling and arrow from the critic, and continues to find a way to grow in the face of opposition. King Abimelech exhibits the virtues of a a smart politician or cunning leader. He represents his people but subtly maintains good will and lines of communication open with powerful people. He understands why we say “don’t burn bridges.”

“Optimists tend to be successful, pessimists tend to be right.”

– Mark Zuckerberg

What: Verse/quotation	So What: Moral of the story	Now What: Application/technique
26:22 “Abandoning that one, he dug another well and the local people finally left him alone. So Isaac called it “Room Enough” for he said “At last the LORD has made room for us, and we will be able to thrive.”	Prior to this moment, Isaac had been banished from Gerar where he had an extraordinarily successful (read: “blessed”) farming operation, and dug two preceding wells only to have the locals wrest them from him. This verse is a testament to Isaac’s unique combination of resilience (toughness, endurance, persistence, etc.) and optimism (read: “faith in God”) that may best be described as “peace,” or even “contentedness.” However, peace isn’t a very descriptive term, and being content carries negative baggage with it in the west so lets stick with “resilient optimism” for the time being.	Cultivating “resilient optimism” in ourselves primes us to respond in a manner more conducive to enduring or overcoming future hardships (i.e. problem solving). By practicing appreciation for daily luxuries and conveniences, we can strengthen the neural pathways associated with gratitude which will allow us to find moments and elements worth appreciating even in the most challenging of experiences. Cultivating resilient optimism can allow you to remain calm and lead thoughtfully under pressure, as your brain automatically searches for the opportunity in every challenge.
26:28 “We can plainly see that the LORD is with you. So we decided we should have a treaty, a covenant between us. Swear that you will not harm us, just as we did not harm you. We have always treated you well, and we sent you away from us in peace. And now look how the LORD has blessed you!”	Now that Isaac is flourishing once more, King Abimelech wants to ensure that his kingdom remains safe from retaliation. He makes the effort to visit Isaac and extend a treaty offering, while reminding Isaac that he never irreparably harmed him. King Abimelech shows us the importance of not burning bridges. Your employee can one day become your boss. Your ex-girlfriend can one day become your wife. Your school rival may become your child’s doctor. Even if you have an overt falling out with someone, or are in the grips of a heated argument, it will always benefit you to calm yourself and choose your words wisely. Your wildest dreams can’t imagine, especially in those moments, when and how you may need the benevolence of a current opponent in the future.	The key here is not to cultivate a utilitarian view of other people as tools, but rather an appreciation for the inherent value of all beings, the complexities of human networks, and the comical ironies of life. Some actions are irrevocable, and wisdom leads us to be cautious with taking definitive actions as we don’t possess the foresight or even complete intelligence of the present to be so bold. But rather than cultivating a strong inner critic, feeding our self-doubt, and second-guessing ourselves, we can foster a temperate attitude that tends towards protecting our future optionalities. We can do this by confronting opposition and disagreement with curiosity. Desiring to understand the differences in your logic, or perhaps even differences in information, will not only allow you to better form your opinion and position, pausing to listen and understand will reset the temperature and tone of both you and your counterpart. In the end, through deeper understanding of each other, and a more calm cadence of engagement, you may be able to reach a more amicable conclusion.

Remember: Cultivate persistent optimism by practicing gratitude daily. Tune into temperance by first seeking understanding.

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Jacob Steals Esau’s Blessing (Genesis 27:1-46): Nearing death from old age, Isaac calls for his oldest son Esau to demand one last delicious meal of wild game from him in return for a blessing. However, Rebekah overheard the request and, favoring Jacob, called upon Jacob to instruct him to subvert his brother and steal his father’s blessing. Rebekah tells Jacob to collect some goats so she can prepare Isaac’s favorite meal and to adorn himself in his brother’s clothes and animal furs to trick his father’s waning senses into thinking he is Esau. Jacob does as he is told and successfully trick’s Isaac into giving him his blessing. Upon Esau’s return from the hunt, he learns that Jacob has stolen his father’s blessing. Esau vows to kill Jacob after his father has passed. Rebekah once again catches wind of this plot, and once more directs Jacob to flee the land while convincing Isaac that Jacob will find a better wife in the land of his uncle Laban, obscuring the true reason for his departure.

Understand: The conclusion of this story is yet to be realized, as the next post will pick up “The Story of Jacob.” We can imagine the chickens will come home to roost as Jacob, a weak man continuously influenced and perhaps manipulated by his conniving mother, will reap the fruit from the seeds of despair he has sewn into his brother Esau. As we embark on learning the story of Jacob, let us not forget that he has stolen both the right to the family’s estate and leadership, as well as his father’s blessing from Esau. We shall see what the author’s of the Bible are trying to teach us about trickery and thievery through the experiences of the remainder of Jacob’s life.

“If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.”

-Mark Twain

Remember: Just because you immediately benefit from a fraud, doesn’t mean you will ultimately get away with it.