Same Fear… New Jacob
- Jacob is walking into his greatest fear, but he is not the same man who ran from it. Esau is still on the other side of the field. The past is still the past. Jacob still has every reason to be afraid. However, something has changed... Jacob.
- After wrestling with God, Jacob no longer approaches his greatest fear with manipulation, deception, control, or self-preservation. He approaches it with humility.
- C.S. Lewis famously said, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." That is what we begin to see in Jacob.
- Humility isn't self-hatred. It isn't weakness. It isn't pretending you don't have value.
- Humility is freedom from the exhausting need to make everything about you... your reputation, your rights, your control, your vindication, or your protection.
- Pride says, "I have to make this work." Fear says, " have to protect myself." Humility says, "I can trust God with the outcome."
- Humility produces a different posture. It allows you to listen instead of defend, to apologize instead of justify, to receive instead of demand, and to pursue peace instead of the win.
- When Jacob bows before Esau, he isn't saying he's worthless or less than. He's showing that he no longer has to prove himself.
- His identity is no longer built on getting the upper hand. He's been blessed by God! Secure people don't have to fight for significance.
- Jacob's humility didn't guarantee what Esau would do, it changed how Jacob would respond to whatever Esau did.
- That's the power of humility. It doesn't always change the person you're facing, but it does change you and how you face them.
- Sometimes God doesn't remove the thing we're afraid to face. However, He changes who we are when we face it. The fear may be the same. The situation may look the same. However, a new identity in Christ produces a new response.
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