Note: I’m privileged to post this recent spoken word performance by Daniel Joseph along with the text (below). Used by permission. This is the performance I mentioned earlier this month. – Steve Wagner
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Esau’s Soup
Famished, Esau sat down in his chair
His dizzying hunger making him unaware
Of anything but an earthen bowl
Yet something didn’t settle within his soul.
Before his eyes dances strange sights
Flashbacks of long winter nights
Sitting with his family by the heath
Atop a mound of cold hard earth
As he snuggled with his mom next to the fire
His father, though weary, would never tire
Of telling the boys of their granddad
And what a splendid promise he had.
The one true God had spoken to a man
And revealed a majestic plan.
God himself came to Abraham
And led him outside by the hand
The sky was blacker than a spilled bottle of ink
But Abraham would never had dreamed to think
Of calling the night sky anything but bright
For every inch of blackness had a burning light
A thousand shining swords thrust through black felt
Instantly caused Abraham’s heart to melt
The weight of the beauty knocked him to a knee
And a booming voice, “so shall your descendants be”
The childless old man looked again to the skies
As a river of tears flooded his eyes.
No sound was made, no word was said
But humbly Abraham bowed his head
And trusted God with all his heart
Grateful that, in God’s plan he had a part.
At this point Isaac would pick up his firstborn boy
And toss him in the air has he beamed with joy
“Now, Esau, that promise is for you
So trust in the Lord in the Lord in all that you do
He will make you like the sand on the shore
Jacob will have blessings, but you will have more”
Esau came back to reality and look around
Then all that could be heard was the sound
Of bitter weeping for what seemed like years
Until his soup consisted of less lentils than tears.
“Jacob!” he roared, throwing the bowl at a shelf
But inside he knew, the guilty one was himself
As the broken young man sat on the floor
He began to realize that, he no more
Could claim the promised of the Jews
Because he had decided to choose
To despise his birthright for a bowl of stew.
Now here is the question I have for you
Compared to Christ’s promises, Esau’s promises were small
So, why, may I ask, do we still fall
Into the same snare in which Esau fell?
Instead of losing blessings, we go to Hell
We could judge angels and even sit with God on his throne
But we don’t want that, we leave those promises alone
And cling to lust, pornography, and one night flings
Along with a whole host of other stupid, worthless things
Christian, I beg you, look at Isaac’s firstborn son
And realize that there are mistakes that cannot be undone
So forsake your sin, for its pleasures are brief
And brings with it a whole host of grief.
Rather, cling to the one whose name is faithful and true
And don’t sell your glorious birthright for a meager bowl of stew.
-Daniel Joseph
Human Beings Matter More 