Faith & Family Business

Jacob, Esau, and Deception (Genesis 27:11-13)

Welcome to my weekly Faith and Family Business reflections, where I (briefly) probe important questions that arise in family business – questions relating to behavior, relationships and legacy – from the angle of a Biblical story. For more information about this series, click here.

Last week we read that Isaac asked his son Esau to bring him food, prepare it, and receive a blessing. Hearing Isaac’s plan, Rebekah sets in motion her own scheme to undermine her husband by having Jacob pretend to be Esau, in order to steal the blessing.

But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring [the food] to me.” (Gen. 27:11-13)

Pretending to be your brother and tricking your blind father may be a slightly riskier, made-for-TV version of sabotage than what typically goes on in a family business, but it isn’t far off. Deception is sometimes used to gain goodwill with a parent, acquire control of the business, collect additional compensation, curry favor with a vendor, punish a sibling, win over employees, or affect changes to a last will and testament. Such deceit undermines the trust and relationships necessary for long-term family business success, and often leads to the dissolution of the business.

Have you or someone you know been deceived by a family member? As you plan for the future, will you commit as a family to be honest and transparent in your dealings with one another?

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