Not-So-Perfect Family

Jacob and Esau's story has always intrigued me. As I was reading I came across the following passage in Genesis 28:6-9.

Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,” and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram. Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.

I can't help but feel sorry for Esau. Why didn't they tell Esau not to marry from the Canaanites? How was he to know that this would displease his parents? What must that have done to Esau when he saw that his father blessed Jacob and sent him away saying, "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan"? His dad was talking about his wives and children! What must that have done to his wives relationship with the in-laws?

Isaac had a messed up dysfunctional family! Not only this mess with the daughter-in-laws, but the Bible tells us that Isaac favored Esau while Rebekkah favored Jacob.

And the incredible good news in all this for all of us who come from not-so-perfect families is that if God can use the likes of Isaac, Rebekkah, Esau, and Jacob, he can certainly use us.