“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.”     Genesis 25:31-34 (NIV)

     Every family has experienced some level of sibling rivalry, but these twins are the poster children.  In the womb, these boys could not get along.  In life, the fighting continued.  These verses show us how dangerous greed and envy can be.

     Esau was the older of the two boys.  As the eldest son, tradition held that he would get the family birthright.  He was considered second to his father, Isaac, and he had special privileges.  Upon his father’s death, he was also entitled to a double portion of the family estate.

     Since Isaac was also an heir to God’s promise to Abraham, this also put Esau and his descendants in line to inherit God’s promises.

     While the temporal benefits held some value, God’s promise was priceless.  This promise was a great honor, and even Jacob could see the value of such an inheritance.  He was determined to be able to share in that promise.

God will consider our methods

     While Jacob’s yearning and desire might be considered admirable, his approach made his efforts dishonorable.

     Jacob used his brother’s desperation as an opportunity to take advantage of him.  Knowing how vulnerable Esau was in his hunger, Jacob coerced his brother into exchanging a priceless treasure for something that fulfilled his need for instant gratification.  How often do we lose a piece of ourselves as we seek instant gratification in our own lives?

     Even if the prize is of priceless value, we must consider the questions asked in Matthew 16:26: “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?  Is anything worth more than your soul?” (NLT)

     The Bible reminds us to consider our methods of achieving any goal, even if it is a goal that could be admirable.  Deuteronomy 25:16 tells us, “For the LORD your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.” (NIV)  God will not approve of our accomplishments if we go about them the wrong way.

     Solomon urges us to think of the possible negative consequences of our actions.  “The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.”  (Proverbs 11:3 The Message)  We may end up doing more harm than good, even if our intentions in the beginning were right.

     We should always strive to be like Christ.  Paul told the Hebrews about the lifestyle they hoped to exemplify: to “have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.”  (Hebrews 13:18 NIV)

Go back to the basics

     While we may find ourselves putting on our blinders as we focus intently on our destination, we must constantly remind ourselves of the foundation for working toward living honorably.  James reminds us of the Old Testament’s greatest commandment, as found in Leviticus 19:18.  He writes, “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.”  (James 2:8 NIV)

     If Jacob would have loved Esau as he loved himself, he would not have taken advantage of his twin brother.  As badly as we may want some things in life, we should remind ourselves that God’s plans for us are greater than our own comprehension.  We should learn to be content with the blessings God has provided to us, and not aim for stealing the blessings of those around us.

     Once Thanksgiving and Christmas are near, we realize that another year has come and gone.  As we look back, we realize that there were many things that we wanted to accomplish in 2009, yet they somehow did not come to fruition.

     For many of us, life just gets in the way.  With spouses, children, work, and home, there is never a shortage of things to do.  It becomes easy to put off our goals until “tomorrow.”  For example, many of us put off making sure we have enough life insurance coverage, even though we would never want to leave our families in a financial bind.

     The unfortunate part of procrastination is that “tomorrow” never comes.  Our goals just get pushed back so far that we tend to forget they were there in the first place.

     But today is a new day, and there’s nothing wrong with creating a fresh start now.  Let’s look at some questions that will trigger some ideas and help us get back on track.

Where do you want to be?

     While the Bible tells us to be content with where we are, we are still encouraged to examine ourselves to determine how we can become better stewards of our resources.

     We should use this time to think big.  We can spend time in prayer with God and ask Him to show us where He would like us to be one year from now.

     We can also seek His guidance to show us where He would like us to be five or even 10 years from now.  The decisions we make today will greatly impact our future.  Seeking God is critical to ensuring that we make the appropriate decisions now for a better outcome later on.

     Take time to consider three to five financial goals that you would like to accomplish in the near future.  These goals can include debt payoff, such as credit cards or car loans.  We can also consider planning for new big-ticket purchases rather than financing them.

Where are you now?

     Before we can think about getting to where we want to be, we have to have a clear understanding of where we are now.  Surprisingly, many of us do not truly know where we are.  We spend so much time living in the moment that we don’t see how today impacts the future.

     In order to work toward improvement, we really need to create a snapshot of our current financial situation.  We should review our cash flow – our income and expenses.  We should also get a clear picture of our outstanding debts.  This will help us get a better idea of our starting position for working toward our goals.

How will you get there?

     Getting to our goals requires planning.  We need to determine financially what it will take to get to each goal.  Then, we should determine how much we need to set aside in our monthly budget to get to that goal.

     This may not be an easy process.  It is most likely that we will need to make some changes to our spending habits in order to reach these goals.  However, if we prioritize and use discipline, it can work.

     We are not promised tomorrow.  As we head into the new year, let’s make an effort to eliminate procrastination and reach some of those goals that mean so much to us.

     I realize that readers have come to expect an article that focuses on money and finances.  However, I think that I want to turn the tables just a bit to address something that has been on my mind, especially after talking about the importance of leaving a legacy to our younger generations.  This is still very relevant because there is a direct correlation between this topic and finances.

     Someone once told me that there is one place we can go and find a lot of potential for wealth.  It’s a place you would probably never guess.  I sure didn’t guess it correctly.  He told me that the best place to find that potential is in the cemetery.

     That’s not what you were expecting, right?  But, just think about how true that is.  The vast amount of untapped potential in the graveyard is infinite.  So many people died without pushing toward their goals, without going that extra step beyond what they thought they were capable of.

     But if we are not right in our minds, we will never be right in our pockets.  So, I just want to spend a little time talking about our mental focus.

     Many of us have heard the phrase, “The sky is the limit,” but how many of us actually believe it?  How many of us were encouraged as children to think outside of the box?  How many of us take that extra initiative in our adulthood to stretch beyond what others expect of us?

     As a child, I was fortunate to grow up in a household and in a family where people stretched all of the time.  I had wonderful role models – entrepreneurs and business owners.  Seeing that helped me believe that I truly could do whatever I set my mind to.

     Regardless of the direction you choose to go, you should never just jump in.  Every decision requires careful evaluation first, then planning, and finally, execution.  Remember Proverbs 21:5, which says, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (NIV)

     When you are truly committed to your plans and if you are willing to do what it takes to see them through to the end, then God will help you through.  Often times, you already have what we need to reach the goal.  You just may not be aware.

     But God can multiply what you have to help you get to the goal.  In 2 Kings 4:1-7, a widow was worried about her ability to pay back her husband’s debtors.  The creditors were threatening to take her sons as slaves.  All she had was a little oil, but Elisha told her to pour the oil into as many jars as she could find.  Her oil was able to fill every jar.  Not only was there enough to pay off the creditors, but there was also enough for her and her sons to live on.

     In the same way, you should look really carefully at what you already have.  Determine how you might be able to use what you already have in order to get to where you want to be.

     Don’t think that God hasn’t blessed you with something.  Think about the parable of the talents.  Each of us has been given something.  We just have to figure out what it is.  Sure, some may have more than others, but those of us with a little may just have to work a harder to make those talents multiply.

     But there is a better way to look at it.  Think about it this way:  God knows that you have a lot more heart – more drive and ambition – than some of the others.  You just need to believe it, too, and kick it into high gear.

     We only get one chance at life.  Don’t let it slip you by.  The only thing that can stop you is you.  Push your limits and do some amazing things.  I wish you all nothing but the best!