Genesis 25:27-34 As the boys grew, Esau became a skillful hunter, while Jacob was a quiet sort who liked to stay at home. Isaac’s favorite was Esau, because of the venison he brought home, and Rebekah’s favorite was Jacob. One day Jacob was cooking stew when Esau arrived home exhausted from the hunt.
Esau: “Boy, am I starved! Give me a bite of that red stuff there!” ….
Jacob: “All right, trade me your birthright for it”
Esau: “When a man is dying of starvation, what good is his birthright?” …
And Esau vowed, thereby selling all his eldest-son rights to his younger brother. Then Jacob gave Esau bread, peas, and stew; so he ate and drank and went about his business, indifferent to the loss of the rights he had thrown away. [Living Bible translation]
Scripture
The history of the nation of Israel, from Abraham to Isaac, to his sons, Jacob and Esau and to the generations that followed is a fascinating account. Each of these Biblical characters is instructive. There is the drama of family dynamics involving Isaac, his wife Rebekah and the two sons Jacob and Esau. There is a relationship between the brothers, who were twins. There are the individual personalities of Esau and Jacob--one a skillful hunter and the other a homebody. There are decisions that were made. And the opportunities that were lost. Esau, who did not value his birthright and, in a “moment of weakness,” exchanged his inheritance rights for a bowl of stew, some bread, some peas, and a drink. Esau even swore (i.e., to GOD) sealing the deal. See, Genesis 29:33.
Esau’s relationship to food, drink and his hunger for the wrong things changed his life forever.
Esau’s story is a tale of physical hunger and poor spiritual insight. Esau’s poor spiritual insight appears to continue past his interaction with his brother Jacob.
- When their father Isaac one day proclaimed that he was ready to bless Esau before he died, and Esau later ran to his father saying “I am your son, “your firstborn Esau,” (Gen 27:32), it appears that Esau was ready to accept the blessing of the firstborn, despite the fact that Esau had already given his birthright away to Jacob? In other words, Esau was prepared to disguise himself as the one entitled to the first-born birthright blessings, when he was not.
- Esau has no spiritual insight into his own behavior. When Esau learned of Jacob’s deception, Esau never once accepts any personal responsibility for what has occurred. Esau blames everything on his cheating brother, claiming Jacob took away his birthright (which in fact, Esau gave away) and took his (firstborn/birthright) blessings (which in fact, Esau was no longer entitled), having given away those rights to Jacob.
- Esau has poor spiritual insight or compassion regarding his brother, Jacob. Esau was always his father’s favorite. Ironically, Isaac loved Esau because Isaac loved eating the savory meals from Esau’s hunting trips. (Genesis 25:28; Genesis 27:4). Even, when Isaac was ready to bless “his son” before he died, Isaac basically gave all his blessing to “the birthright” child. Nothing was left for “the other son.” So, when Esau cries out after learning of Jacob’s deception, “Oh, haven’t you saved even one blessing for me?” Isaac says nothing. In his own self-pity, Esau fails to discern that this is exactly the situation Jacob would have been in, had Esau been blessed first. But Esau has no spiritual insight, no empathy, no compassion nor concern for anyone other than himself.
Why You May Be Hungry
Hunger is generally the body’s cue that you need to eat. But that is not always the case, especially in those who ask “Why am I always hungry?” “Polyphagia” is the medical term for excessive or extreme hunger and maybe a sign you need to speak to your physician, especially if eating won’t make your hunger go away, even after eating more. Some of the factors that can affect hunger include:
- Insufficient Protein – A good source of protein is important in preventing hunger. Some plant-based proteins include broccoli, corn, potatoes, edamame, lentils, green peas, asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Avocado, mushrooms, artichokes, nuts, seeds,
- Lack of Sleep – If you don’t get enough sleep it can affect the hormones in your body. You may also find you crave high-fat, high-calorie foods when tired.
- Stress and Anxiety – If you are anxious about tense the body releases hormones which can cause the feeling of being hungry. Again, people who feel stress may crave sugar and fats.
- Eating Unhealthy Carbs- Pastries, white bread, many packaged foods, and fast foods are often high in fats and unhealthy carbs and can leave a person feeling hungry, often causing people to eat more than they should
- Not Drinking Enough Water – Hydration is important to overall health. Water is filling and has the potential to reduce appetite before meals.
- Lack of Fiber – High fiber foods take longer to digest and decrease the feelings of hunger. Oatmeal, flaxseed, citrus (e.g. oranges), apples, sweet potatoes, strawberries, and Brussel Sprouts are examples of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber easily dissolves in water and is broken down into a gel-like substance in the part of the gut called the colon.
- Eating While distracted – While it may seem efficient to multi-task, it turns out that eating while distracted may reduce your awareness of fullness. Less distraction allows you to taste your food and recognize when you are full.
- Drinking Too Much – Consuming alcohol can cause a person to consume more calories throughout the day. Alcohol can also impair the brain’s ability to exercise good judgment and self-control.
- Medications – Some medications can stimulate the appetite. If you are concerned about and side-effects from any medication you are taking, speak with your physician.
- Pregnancy- It is very normal for most women to feel hungry during pregnancy. Most women gain 4 to 6 pounds during the first trimester and then 1 pound a week during the second and third trimesters.
- Exercising A Lot- Exercising frequently can cause a person to require more calories. This usually applies to high-intensity workouts or exercising on a high-frequency basis.
See, “14 Reasons Why You’re Always Hungry,” https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/14-reasons-always-hungry#section1; “Why Am I Always Hungry?” https://www.webmd.com/diet/reasons-always-hungry#1.
Examine What Makes You Hungry
Being mindful of when and why we are physically hungry and for what, can be important. Being mindful of our spiritual wants and needs is even more important. Let us all pray for self-examination, spiritual insight and discernment. Pray we consider whether we have “undervalued” the spiritual aspects in our lives, our community and our country. Are we lacking in compassion, quick to point the finger at others, or slow to forgive? Can we ever “see” ourselves in someone else’s shoes? Pray that we hunger and thirst after the right things and have a right spirit.
Pray one for another and BE BLESSED!
