Genesis 32:13

Genesis 32:13 says, And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;  Jacob prepared a present for Esau.  Even if Jacob had the birthright, it would do him no good if Esau killed him.  If we have cheated someone, we likewise may have a reason to fear them.  Verse fourteen states, Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,  Then verse fifteen adds, Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.  Jacob prepared a sizable gift for Esau.  Jacob was still relying more on his own abilities than he was on God's promise.  As followers of Christ, if we have wronged someone today, the first thing we need to do is ask God's forgiveness and then seek His guidance on how to deal with the situation.  Of course, this will probably always involve some kind of restitution.  Verse sixteen states, And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.  Jacob was sending his servants to deliver the animals, a drove at a time.  Jacob was still more concerned with himself than he was with his servants.  We cannot expect someone else to face the consequences of our sins.  No matter what he did, ultimately Jacob was going to have to face Esau, just as ultimately we have to face the responsibility of our own sins, even though Christ paid the penalty for them.  We cannot just act as though we have no responsibility for them, even though we are forgiven through our faith in Christ.  Verse seventeen declares, And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?  Then verse eighteen adds, Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.  Jacob told the servant that when he met Esau, and he asked them who they were, they were to tell Esau that they were a present from his servant Jacob.  Jacob did not claim his superiority because of the birthright, but declared himself a servant of Esau.  If we have wronged someone, we should always go to them in humility and not with an attitude of superiority.  Jacob also told him to tell Esau that he was coming behind them. Verse nineteen adds, And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.  Jacob gave the same instructions to the second and third droves.  Jacob may have felt that if Esau was still angry that he would wear his anger down by the continued gifts.  Again Jacob was still relying on his own plans instead of proceeding in faith.  Verse twenty states, And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.  Jacob once again told them to tell Esau that Jacob, his servant was behind them.  Jacob still hoped to appease Esau with his gifts.  Jacob was still not relying on God's promise to him, but was attempting to make things right by his own scheme.  As followers of Christ, we must always look to God for direction in all that we do, especially if we have made a mess by our own actions.  Verse twenty-one concludes, So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.  Jacob sent the presents, but remained where he was overnight.  He was basically sending his servants to face Esau.  We cannot allow someone else to face the consequences of our sins while we remain safely at a distance.  We could say that this was all dictated by God, but I believe that even as followers of Christ, we still have the free will to act on our own abilities without seeking God's will and relying on Him.