Americans these days seem to be consumed with their "rights." We want to to make sure that we get everything we feel that we have earned, we want equality, we want justice, we want an end to racism and sexism, yada yada yada. Don't get me wrong, those are all good things. I want those things just as much as the next person. But I wonder sometimes if we really think about what our rights are - and what are simply priviledges.
It's interesting contrasting this "equality" debate that we find in America, with the cultural norms and attitudes that are found in Korea. In Korea, "rights" aren't really debated about much. Now, I'm not saying that South Korea blatantly disregards human rights and ignores the needs of the less fortunate members of their society. Far from it. The people of Korea are a loving, caring, democratic society. But they also have a completely different mindset from the American one. In Korea, the needs of the group always come before your individual needs. If your boss needs you to cancel plans with a friend, or work late, or take on extra projects, then you do it, no questions asked, because it's what is best for the group as a whole. Sometimes I wonder how the majority of Americans would handle living and working in Korea. One of the first things you have to learn is that your rights as an individual don't really exist; or at least, they are always secondary to the rights and needs of the group.
Isn't it interesting to see how different 2 cultures view rights? Economically, and in other ways as well, Korea and America are actually very similar. But the mindset of the two cultures is so completely different. How do you reconcile them? How do you decide which is right, and which is wrong? Is that distinction even possible to make?
The Bible has an interesting take on rights. In Genesis 25, we find a story of Jacob and Esau, battling over the birthright in their family. Now, in Biblical times, the birthright was the ticket to a good life. It was always given to the oldest son of the family, and upon his father's death promised him more land, more possessions, and more power than any of the other children in his family. A birthright was something incredibly precious, incredibly valuable, and it was highly treasured by whichever child in the family was fortunate enough to have it bestowed upon him. It's no wonder that Jacob, even though he was the second son in his family, coveted this birthright.
And Esau was hungry. He was hungry, and could see no farther than his own stomach, and so he sold his precious birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. How shortsighted could he be?? I can't imagine giving up something so valuable for something so cheap. And yet, many of us do just that every single day.
As born-again Christians, God has given us a birthright, as well. He has promised us life everlasting, a seat at the right hand of the Father, and safety and protection while here on this earth. Yet, how many us of just throw that birthright away for a bowl of soup? We ignore the promises of God - as well as the commands of God - in pursuit of frivolous things. We convince ourselves, as Esau did, that if we don't pursue what we want right now, then we can never be happy.
But God has called us to much more than chasing bowls of soup. He wants to make us heirs to His kingdom. It is our birthright, that was given to us the day that we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts. But that's something that we have to accept. It does us no good if we simply ignore it and do our own thing. So today, I want to you ask yourself....are you taking advantage of the privilege of being a Christian, the birthright that God has given you? Or are you wasting your life on silly frivolities, chasing down bowls of soup that will be gone by the next day?
It's interesting contrasting this "equality" debate that we find in America, with the cultural norms and attitudes that are found in Korea. In Korea, "rights" aren't really debated about much. Now, I'm not saying that South Korea blatantly disregards human rights and ignores the needs of the less fortunate members of their society. Far from it. The people of Korea are a loving, caring, democratic society. But they also have a completely different mindset from the American one. In Korea, the needs of the group always come before your individual needs. If your boss needs you to cancel plans with a friend, or work late, or take on extra projects, then you do it, no questions asked, because it's what is best for the group as a whole. Sometimes I wonder how the majority of Americans would handle living and working in Korea. One of the first things you have to learn is that your rights as an individual don't really exist; or at least, they are always secondary to the rights and needs of the group.
Isn't it interesting to see how different 2 cultures view rights? Economically, and in other ways as well, Korea and America are actually very similar. But the mindset of the two cultures is so completely different. How do you reconcile them? How do you decide which is right, and which is wrong? Is that distinction even possible to make?
The Bible has an interesting take on rights. In Genesis 25, we find a story of Jacob and Esau, battling over the birthright in their family. Now, in Biblical times, the birthright was the ticket to a good life. It was always given to the oldest son of the family, and upon his father's death promised him more land, more possessions, and more power than any of the other children in his family. A birthright was something incredibly precious, incredibly valuable, and it was highly treasured by whichever child in the family was fortunate enough to have it bestowed upon him. It's no wonder that Jacob, even though he was the second son in his family, coveted this birthright.
And Esau was hungry. He was hungry, and could see no farther than his own stomach, and so he sold his precious birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. How shortsighted could he be?? I can't imagine giving up something so valuable for something so cheap. And yet, many of us do just that every single day.
As born-again Christians, God has given us a birthright, as well. He has promised us life everlasting, a seat at the right hand of the Father, and safety and protection while here on this earth. Yet, how many us of just throw that birthright away for a bowl of soup? We ignore the promises of God - as well as the commands of God - in pursuit of frivolous things. We convince ourselves, as Esau did, that if we don't pursue what we want right now, then we can never be happy.
But God has called us to much more than chasing bowls of soup. He wants to make us heirs to His kingdom. It is our birthright, that was given to us the day that we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts. But that's something that we have to accept. It does us no good if we simply ignore it and do our own thing. So today, I want to you ask yourself....are you taking advantage of the privilege of being a Christian, the birthright that God has given you? Or are you wasting your life on silly frivolities, chasing down bowls of soup that will be gone by the next day?
Genesis 25:24-34
When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.) Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright. ” “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.
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