So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. Genesis 32:13-15 ESV
If we are to account the gift Jacob gave his brother on the day of their meeting, based on the price of livestock in our current times. it will range from 1.5 million to 3 million pesos give and take. This was the price Jacob had determined to give his brother as a gift. He wanted to appease him from what had transpired in their past. Though Esau sold his birthright, Jacob knew that he took the blessing deceitfully. And after living 20 years with Laban. Jacob understood what it feels to be deceived, to be taken advantage of, and what it fell to be treated unfairly. and he does not like it one bit. He might have endured it all but he can enumerate it one by one... meaning, he had bitter feelings about it. When he brought the gifts to Esau, he was hoping that these gifts would help make right any ill feelings his brothers had with him. When he left, his brother was contemplating on killing him. 20 years later, Jacob had no idea how his brother feels about him. If he allowed bitter feeling to eat him us, his anger would have grown even more and have eaten him up like a cancer. If Esau allowed God and time to help bring healing to what he felt, he could experience healing and see God blessing his life in spite of what transpired in the past. On the part of Jacob, if Esau was angry, may the gifts pacify him. If Esau had already forgiven him, may the gifts of such value be a blessing to Esau as he live his own life, pursue his own purpose. Jacob would not have considered it a lost by saying... Why give him 1.5 to 3 million worth of gifts when everything is in good terms already. It does not matter. Angry or not, this is my gift to Esau. Whether for reconciliation or just to bless Esau financially so he can build and start afresh or add up to what he has already built and amassed is no longer an issue. Jacob decided he will bless his brother. May we not regret our decisions to bless others. May they be family not. 11 January
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