An ancient custom of the Israelites vested in the first-born son the birthright, which entitled him to special privileges of succession and possession. A story telling how this custom was once thwarted is related in the twenty-fifth chapter of Genesis. Esau, the elder son of Isaac, came in from the field, faint with hunger. He saw his brother, Jacob, making pottage, and to obtain some, he agreed to sell Jacob his birthright.
Speaking metaphorically, Esau's exchange of birthright for pottage has been repeated in all phases of human existence. Through unawareness of man's sonship with God, mortals ordinarily reject as conjectural their changeless, immortal heritage of ever-present spiritual life and goodness.
The spiritual birthright is lost because men think erroneously and live selfishly. False, material beliefs constantly stir the common, unsavory pottage of materialism. These beliefs foment hatred, envy, malice, and greed, which in turn engender sickness, impairment, disease, and death. But error and its harmful effects are never part of the heritage of God's man. No good can ever come from the despising of one's spiritual birthright of goodness and love.
