"ESAU" (That is Edom) Loving Your Church and the One Down the Street, Too!
Day 1: Standing With Our Brothers and Sisters
Reading: Numbers 20:14-21; 1 John 3:16-17
Devotional:
When Israel asked their brother Edom for safe passage, they were met with hostility and refusal. Edom stood aloof when family needed help. In the Body of Christ, aloofness is not an option. We are called to be our brother's keeper, bearing one another's burdens and building each other up. Today, consider: Are you indifferent to the struggles of fellow believers? God's love compels us to lay down our lives for one another, not just in dramatic ways, but in daily acts of support and encouragement. When one part of Christ's Body suffers, we all suffer. Look around your church and community—who needs you to stand with them today rather than stand aloof?
Day 2: Guarding Our Hearts Against Gloating
Reading: Proverbs 24:17-18; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Devotional:
Edom not only refused to help Israel but gloated over their misfortune, replaying their brother's failure with secret satisfaction. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. When we hear of failures in the church—a ministry collapse, a leader's fall, a brother's sin—what is our heart's response? Do we find ourselves eagerly sharing details, secretly delighted by others' stumbles? God exposes sin in Scripture not as tabloid material but with a heavy heart, for instruction and warning. When discussing the failures of others, even legitimate concerns, examine your motives. Does it hurt your heart? Are you seeking restoration or satisfaction? Ask God to replace any trace of gloating with genuine compassion.
Day 3: Humility Over Pride
Reading: Luke 18:9-14; Galatians 6:1-5
Devotional:
Edom's pride whispered, "Who can bring me down?" They boasted in their strength while despising their weaker brother. The Pharisee thanked God he wasn't like "other men." Both were deceived by pride. When we witness failure in the Body of Christ, spiritual pride creeps in: "At least we're not like them. We're more mature, more biblical, more faithful." But our only boast is Jesus Christ. Apart from His grace, we are nothing. Different churches may worship differently, preach differently, organize differently—but preferences don't equal superiority. Your church isn't the best church universally; it's where God is growing you specifically. Celebrate the strengths in other ministries rather than nitpicking their weaknesses. Remember: we're all weak on our own, powerful only when connected.
Day 4: The Power of Partnership
Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Romans 15:1-7
Devotional:
Imagine if Edom and Israel had formed an alliance instead of becoming enemies. Two nations under Abraham's covenant, blessed by God, could have strengthened each other against common threats. Instead, their division made them vulnerable, and both eventually fell. The Body of Christ functions the same way. We share one mission: advancing God's kingdom and defeating our common enemy. Yet we often compete rather than cooperate, building walls instead of bridges. The church down the street isn't your competition—it's your ally. When they succeed, you succeed. When they struggle, you're weakened too. Like individual Lego blocks, we're not much alone, but connected, we build something magnificent. How can you partner with, pray for, or support another ministry this week?
Day 5: Celebrating the Universal Body
Reading: Ephesians 4:1-16; Galatians 5:13-15
Devotional:
Throughout history, Christians have divided over secondary issues—even how to wash feet became grounds for hatred and division. We are Jacob and Esau's descendants, prone to competition and territorial thinking. But Christ calls us to something higher: unity in diversity, strength in cooperation, love that covers differences. You are one small piece in God's magnificent global Church. Don't despise pieces that look different—they're your brothers and sisters. The 45,000 denominations worldwide represent both our brokenness and our diversity. While we grieve unnecessary division, we can celebrate that God uses various expressions of worship to reach different people. Your calling isn't to critique every ministry but to faithfully serve in yours while cheering others on. When we bite and devour one another, we help our true enemy. Choose today to build up, not tear down.
Reading: Numbers 20:14-21; 1 John 3:16-17
Devotional:
When Israel asked their brother Edom for safe passage, they were met with hostility and refusal. Edom stood aloof when family needed help. In the Body of Christ, aloofness is not an option. We are called to be our brother's keeper, bearing one another's burdens and building each other up. Today, consider: Are you indifferent to the struggles of fellow believers? God's love compels us to lay down our lives for one another, not just in dramatic ways, but in daily acts of support and encouragement. When one part of Christ's Body suffers, we all suffer. Look around your church and community—who needs you to stand with them today rather than stand aloof?
Day 2: Guarding Our Hearts Against Gloating
Reading: Proverbs 24:17-18; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Devotional:
Edom not only refused to help Israel but gloated over their misfortune, replaying their brother's failure with secret satisfaction. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. When we hear of failures in the church—a ministry collapse, a leader's fall, a brother's sin—what is our heart's response? Do we find ourselves eagerly sharing details, secretly delighted by others' stumbles? God exposes sin in Scripture not as tabloid material but with a heavy heart, for instruction and warning. When discussing the failures of others, even legitimate concerns, examine your motives. Does it hurt your heart? Are you seeking restoration or satisfaction? Ask God to replace any trace of gloating with genuine compassion.
Day 3: Humility Over Pride
Reading: Luke 18:9-14; Galatians 6:1-5
Devotional:
Edom's pride whispered, "Who can bring me down?" They boasted in their strength while despising their weaker brother. The Pharisee thanked God he wasn't like "other men." Both were deceived by pride. When we witness failure in the Body of Christ, spiritual pride creeps in: "At least we're not like them. We're more mature, more biblical, more faithful." But our only boast is Jesus Christ. Apart from His grace, we are nothing. Different churches may worship differently, preach differently, organize differently—but preferences don't equal superiority. Your church isn't the best church universally; it's where God is growing you specifically. Celebrate the strengths in other ministries rather than nitpicking their weaknesses. Remember: we're all weak on our own, powerful only when connected.
Day 4: The Power of Partnership
Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Romans 15:1-7
Devotional:
Imagine if Edom and Israel had formed an alliance instead of becoming enemies. Two nations under Abraham's covenant, blessed by God, could have strengthened each other against common threats. Instead, their division made them vulnerable, and both eventually fell. The Body of Christ functions the same way. We share one mission: advancing God's kingdom and defeating our common enemy. Yet we often compete rather than cooperate, building walls instead of bridges. The church down the street isn't your competition—it's your ally. When they succeed, you succeed. When they struggle, you're weakened too. Like individual Lego blocks, we're not much alone, but connected, we build something magnificent. How can you partner with, pray for, or support another ministry this week?
Day 5: Celebrating the Universal Body
Reading: Ephesians 4:1-16; Galatians 5:13-15
Devotional:
Throughout history, Christians have divided over secondary issues—even how to wash feet became grounds for hatred and division. We are Jacob and Esau's descendants, prone to competition and territorial thinking. But Christ calls us to something higher: unity in diversity, strength in cooperation, love that covers differences. You are one small piece in God's magnificent global Church. Don't despise pieces that look different—they're your brothers and sisters. The 45,000 denominations worldwide represent both our brokenness and our diversity. While we grieve unnecessary division, we can celebrate that God uses various expressions of worship to reach different people. Your calling isn't to critique every ministry but to faithfully serve in yours while cheering others on. When we bite and devour one another, we help our true enemy. Choose today to build up, not tear down.