My son, David, majored in business administration at college before assuming a very vital role in the business functions of World Evangelism and the New Inspirational Network. One of the many books on management which he has in his library starts with this observation: “People's behavior stems from their interpretations of what they think they perceive.”

That was true of Jacob in managing his life. Despite the fact that Jacob had several personal encounters with God since leaving home and God blessed him mightily as far as family and material benefits were concerned, in the forefront of Jacob's mind was still the threat that his brother had made to kill him.

Jacob was looking at his circumstances in the natural, from the standpoint of what he deserved and what he had heard rather than on the basis of what God had promised him. If we could just learn to see things as God sees them. If we just had His point of view, how different our lives would be. If we could see as God sees, we would never have to ask “Why, God?” But spiritual cataracts often blind our eyes so we cannot perceive our situations as they really are. We get our understanding of the situation from what we think we saw, what we heard, what someone told us, or what we project might happen.

The reality was this: During Jacob's absence from his homeland, God also blessed his brother. Esau was on his way to meet Jacob to welcome him. He did not plan to kill him and he did not want Jacob's presents. He had plenty of livestock and goods of his own. God had worked in Esau's life and heart and eliminated the thing Jacob so greatly feared.

There is a great verse in the Bible in the Book of Proverbs that says, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). That means we can fear when there is nothing to fear when our hearts are not right with God. When our hearts are right, we have nothing to fear. It is not our righteousness, for we have none in ourselves: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). If we are in Christ Jesus, we partake of His righteousness.

But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:30)

In Christ's righteousness we can have wisdom to see as He sees, think as He thinks, and react as He reacts.

“Let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

The mind of Christ is in me. I have the wisdom to seek as He seeks, think as He thinks, and react as He reacts.