Esau Forgives Jacob

Today I read Genesis 33 where Esau and Jacob finally meet. Few stories in the Bible, especially the Old Testament are as fulfilling and touching as this one. Esau had genuine cause to be upset with Jacob. I mean, what Jacob did was duplicitous and cruel to both his father and his older brother. He lied to his father and stole the blessing that was meant for his brother. Now, some would argue that Esau had sold Jacob his birthright so the blessing was rightfully Jacob's. But that is another instance that I am really curious about what happened, as I have mentioned in the past. Even though Jacob had the help of his mother, Rebekah, I still think that he truly wronged his brother, Esau.

So that to me, makes this chapter all the more touching. When Jacob last saw Esau, Esau was plotting to kill Jacob he was so mad. And here, 20 years later, upon seeing him for the first time, he hugs him and forgives him. This is a true testament to Esau's character! Can you imagine Laman or Lemuel hugging Nephi if they had not seen him in 20 years? I sure can't, unless they were hiding a knife behind their back! Unlike 60% of Nephi's older brothers, Esau was not a murderer at heart, but rather was extremely upset by the treatment he had received at the hands of one of the people he loved most in the world. I can understand how he feels. It's the same issue with a parent who loves their child more than anything in this life, and yet at the same time can want to beat them senseless when they misbehave or mouth off as a teenager! We are imperfect beings and inappropriate thoughts of all kinds enter into our minds from time to time. The difference between murderers, thieves, rapists, people who beat their loved ones, is that we do not act on those odd, incongruent impulses.

We can all learn from Esau's example in this story. Few of us, I hope, will have cause to be wronged by our loved ones to the degree that Esau was, and yet Esau was able to forgive. Yes it took some time just as it might take us some time, but we all know there are people that can hold on to a grudge for 20 years or even 60 years! President Monson once shared a story of 2 brothers who shared a one room cabin who did not say a word to each other for over 20 years over some argument or another. That is grudgery to an art form! We've got to learn to love and forgive and then forget it, like we have been counseled to do by our Heavenly Father and our Savior. What a wonderful place the world would be if we could all put it into practice! Until tomorrow.