Jacob the kissup?

Have you ever received more in the giving than in the taking?

Its a strange thing to be a man of God. Its a stranger thing to be a man who works for God. And its a stranger thing still to be a man who works for God who wants praise for the work that he does, just as any other man for the work he does, when he works for God. I'm not really supposed to want praise for preaching well, am I? I'm not really supposed to want praise for making the band sound great when I run the sound board at bible camp, am I? I'm not supposed to want praise for the blogs that I write, am I? This is work I do in the service of God, it is all to bring him glory. And yet I still want it, I still want the praise and I still want the glory.

Jacob has just wrestled striven with God and man and overcome in the previous chapter. Now in Gen 33 he is going to meet his older brother again for the first time in 20 years. This is the brother he tricked, lied to, and stole from. But he is the one who got the blessing from his father. He is the one who is to be ruler over Esau not the other way around and he just stove with God and overcame. So why does he send all these gifts first and then when he meets Esau he bows down to him and has all of his family do the same? Jacob calls Esau his lord and insists Esau accept the gifts even when Esau says no the first time. Jacob should be giving the smack down to his older brother. But instead he serves him.

This is something amazing that has changed in Jacob. He leads his family out, not hiding behind them, but he bows to Esau, he doesn't try to wriggle around and take he position as the head of the family. He knows who he is, the son with the patriarchal blessing, and he knows he has overcome. He then chooses to serve. He gives himself away, he gives away his glory. Usually when we do this God has a way of restoring the glory too us. When we surrender we end up with more than if we steal and cheat to get it.

Philippians 2 says that Jesus humbled himself even to death on a cross. And because he did God raised him up so that he name is above every other name and at his name every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

I had the privilege of receiving a surprise compliment on my blog this evening. I didn't know this person was reading it. She just offered heartfelt thanks to me. I wasn't even looking for it. I wasn't checking my stats or looking for facebook replies and there is was a little bit of glory a little bit of praise. Thank you God, for blessing me in the times when I'm not looking for it!