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.
In order to receive Isaac’s intended blessing for Esau, Jacob disguises himself as Esau, who is out hunting game, and takes the meal into Isaac’s room.
Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” (Gen 27:19-20)
Not only was Jacob lying to his blind father about who he was and how he got the food so quickly (he had killed livestock, not hunted), he was using God’s name to help with the story. Now, if you follow Jacob into the future, there is no doubt that God grants him success. But in this case, Jacob was attributing his own manipulative action to God’s care.
Many family businesses I know attribute their success to God, and would agree that using God to accomplish a deceitful act, or to justify bad behavior, is wrong. But there may be situations that are less clear cut, situations where our feelings about God’s intentions are used to support our side of a struggle in the family or business. It doesn’t take much of a stretch of the imagination to use God’s name to support our own troublesome conduct.
Have you ever heard someone invoke God’s blessing in a way you thought sounded suspicious? As a family business, how do we discern, incorporate and communicate God’s blessings in a way that honors Him?
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