Are you leading with vision? (68-4)

The story of Esau, Jacob’s older twin brother, paints a powerful picture of a leader without vision. Read Genesis 25:29-34; 32:3-23 and 33:1-20.

Esau loved the outdoors from early life and was a skilled hunter and a rugged outdoorsman. His story is that of a leader that lived completely in the present, depending on his own strength and resources and he repeatedly made shortsighted decisions.

Esau is not the last leader in history to have vision only for the present; many leaders today live for the moment and give little thought to the future. The following list gives some of the characteristics of Esau’s nearsightedness that are still causing leaders to fail today:

• Esau focused on the here and now as if tomorrow would never come.
• Esau relied on himself and his natural gifts rather than on God.
• Esau gave up the greater good for immediate gain. He sold his birthright for a single meal.
• Esau thought that he could be bailed out from a poor decision by one in authority. He assumed Isaac’s love would fix his lack of seeing the future consequences of his actions.
• Esau made long term commitments without considering the consequences i.e. he married a Hittite woman and his decedents were the Edomites who were persistent opponents of Israel.
• Esau’s shortsighted view of life blinded him from the deception of his brother Jacob.

What accounts for the lack of vision and character flaws that impelled many of Esau’s life decisions? What internal controls deter any leader from responding to the Esau-like voices we periodically hear within our own heads?

Leaders desiring to serve God will consider the most succinct and telling commentary the Bible gives on the character of Esau. It is also the one with the gravest warning. Leaders owe it to themselves to read it whenever they are tempted to make a risky shortsighted decision. Hebrews 12:15-16 says Esau is remembered with this quote: “See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.”