Here are some characteristics of people who are spiritually short sighted.

1 – Blind to the true values in life

The first born had special privileges. He got a double portion of the family inheritance. Esau was the eldest and had the birthright. He comes back from a hunt weary and starving. Jacob’s first response is for Esau to sell his birthright for a bowl of stew. Yet this is what Esau did. He despised his birthright. What is the bowl of stew that Satan keeps placing in front of you? It has a price that you do not want to pay. A person who is short sighted is blinded to the true.

2 – Allow appetites to rule them rather than the spirit of God

God has a boundary around every appetite. There are dangers with food and sex for example. God draws these boundary lines for our protection. When Esau smelled the stew his response is “give it to me now!” Satan allows has a bowl of stew out there that is opposite to the will of God. Esau yielded to his desire and allowed himself to be controlled by his appetite. If the Spirit of God is not in control of your appetite then you can throw away your whole life for something that is passing.

3 – Insist on immediate fulfilment of their desire

If Esau had been thinking he could have made his own stew before giving up the importance of his birthright. Esau wanted it NOW! Lust can never wait. Faith says it can wait. Patience says it can wait. Satan offers the bowl of stew and it is only available now. Esau wanted instantaneous gratification. People today are being told to take whatever they want whenever it comes their way. It is better to wait. If it is all that good why did you wait till the last minute to tell me about it? You must walk away from that bowl of stew now! The longer you look at it the more likely are you to eat it.

4 – Focus on things temporal and not eternal

How long does it take you to eat one bowl of stew? About 30 minutes. All you have left is an empty bowl. A full stomach will not last for long. What did it cost you? Too much! What has Satan got in your stew bowl? What will it cost you? It is not worth it. God’s has good things for his children that last. God’s word is eternal. Are you interested in the temporal things more than eternal things? Esau lost the greatest spiritual gift that he had when he sold it for a bowl of stew.

5 – Make irrevocable decisions in times of weakness

Everyone has those times. Satan knows when those times of weakness are upon you. Satan will try to keep you preoccupied with temporal things to keep you from eternal things. Remember the achromous – HALT. Watch out when you are hungry, angry, lonely and tired. Satan has one bowl of soup. Satan’s focus is on the bowl. Our focus should be on the stew. It is too costly. Too not allow yourself to get in a position where you have to make decisions when you are hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Satan looks only at the here and now and not to the future. Esau trades his birthright for a single bowl of stew. Satan knows exactly want you like in your bowl. You stand there looking and smell it and then next you want it.

6 – Have little or no respect for spiritual things

The birthright lasts all of your life. Esau was not thinking about his birthright. What is in your bowl? It is important for us to read our Bible. It is important for us to go to Church. You must walk away from that bowl of stew now! The longer you look at it the more likely are you to eat it.

7 – Fail to consider the consequences of their actions

See Genesis 27:21-41. This was all about one bowl of stew. Esau sold his birthright and sacrificed his whole future. Jacob receives the birthright from his father. Esau missed out on God blessings for him by being spiritually short sighted. He sold his birthright for one miserable bowl of stew. Make sure you do not make this mistake in your life.

Categories: Genesis