Esau

If you recall about Jacob and Esau, you will remember the similarities and difference between them.  They both had the same mother and father.  They both were born at the same time.  They both were men.  We could probably name a couple of more things that they had in common.  Some of the differences between them are that Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents, and Esau was a skillful hunter.  Esau was given his name because when he was born he came out red and he was like a hairy garment all over.  I think of this and laugh at time because Jacob put goat skin on in order to trick his dad into thinking he was Esau his brother.  The funny thing is that it worked. I have been referred to before as Esau as a joke, because I am read, and my legs and arms are hairy. 

Yesterday I was reminded of this statement by 2 African boys.  Remember Africans keep their hair on their head very short, even the girls.  They also do not have hardly any body hair on their arms or legs.  Well, we are sitting as a congregation preparing for prayer time.  The one little African boy comes and sits by me and scoots real close to me.  Another little girl is in front of me just looking at me with this weird look on her face.  I try to talk to her, but she would not respond…. I couldn’t figure out what she wanted, nor did I for the rest of the time.  She kept bringing me random different things and then look at me funny.  She brought me a wadded up piece of paper.  I took it and said “Thank you,” I then tried to give it back and she pushed my hand away.  Our communication was, let’s say less than optimal.  On the other hand, the little boy about 5 years of age, was sitting beside me has not has his hand hanging on my arm.  His friend comes and sits by him.  I smile at both of them and then we begin singing.  During the song, I felt what I thought was a bug on my arm, so I looked down and it was the little boy feeling my arm hair.  I scratched my arm because it itched/tickled, and went back to singing. I guess once again these Africans didn’t have arm hair, or at least very little arm hair, so now both boys are now feeling of my arm hair as we are singing.  I kind of motion to them that we are singing, so they pause feeling my hair and sing.  It then comes time to pray, so we all bow our heads.  A few words in the prayer, I feel this hand now rubbing my head.  They were feeling the hair on my head.  Remember African men and children keep their hair very short so this, I guess was something new for them.  I motioned to them that we needed to pray and they did so, so I bowed my head again.  I again felt the arm rub.  These kids were infatuated with my arm hair, and the hair on my head.  Good thing I was wearing pants.  There is no telling what they might have tried if I were wearing shorts.  So throughout service they would try and pet either my arm or head when they got a chance, and so at this point I felt like Esau.  

The neat thing is that no matter how different we might be, whether we our skin color, language, or hairy arms, we have similarities in that we all serve a living God who cares very deeply for each of us. We have a unity and the bond of peace (Eph. 4).   As we see some differences in our brothers and sisters, let us also see the similarities that unites us all, and that is Christ.  I pray that you day may be blessed.  

P.S. - Sorry that I am not able to post more pictures, but it literally takes about 5 minutes to load 1 picture.  I will share more when I get home.