Musing – Do you have Enough? Or Everything?

Hebraic Musing – Do you have Enough? Or Everything?

Key verse “Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” — Genesis: 33:11    The setting for this verse begins in Genesis 32:3:

When Jacob sent his brother Esau extremely generous gifts in hopes of winning his friendship, Esau reacted positively to the gesture. Here are their responses to each other:

 - Esau: “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself”

 - Jacob insisted: “Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.”

Are the brothers saying the same thing? They both seem to be saying “You keep the gifts – I don’t need them!”  Yet, there is something profoundly different in what each one said. Esau said, “I have enough”; but Jacob said, “I have everything.”   What is the difference?

- Having enough implies that while I can make do with what I have in life, there is always room for more. I probably would prefer to have more.

- Having everything means that I have exactly what I need. I don’t need less and I don’t need more. God has given me exactly what I need to succeed in the place I am in my life right now. My cup is already full and I feel truly blessed.

Sages point out that what we have doesn’t determine how wealthy we are; it is how we perceive what we have that determines our wealth.

Today we live in a society where the average person enjoys a standard of living that exceeds what the wealthiest people enjoyed just a century ago. But does the average man feel exceedingly blessed? Unfortunately not!  We are constantly reminded by billboards and infomercials of how much we still lack. Thus, few people feel that they have enough, or all they want.

So…look around you and notice your many blessings. We have freedom. We have abundance. We have each other.  We have everything!

Point to ponder

When was the last time you sang the old hymn? …

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

[And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]

Do you have Enough?   Or Everything?

                                                                       

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                                             January 8, 2013