Favoritism

“And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob” Genesis 25:28 (KJV)

In Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris, I was intrigued by the author’s depiction of Roosevelt’s son Kermit as “a grave, fine-eyed, clumsy adolescent, whom Edith adored.” Throughout my reading of Morris’s work and Roosevelt’s Letters to His Children, I pictured the “Rough Rider” spending time with this more bookish and emotionally sensitive boy and wondered how Kermit measured up in his father’s eyes compared to Roosevelt’s three other sons: Theodore “Ted,” Archibald “Archie,” and Quentin. Ted, the type of boy his father, Theodore Roosevelt, certainly admired, could “hold his own.” In the text, Morris describes fifteen-year-old Ted as a “bull terrier.” Unlike the less aggressive Kermit, young Ted once broke his collarbone in a game yet refused to stop or complain—demonstrating the toughness, self-reliance, and courage his father greatly prized. Upon further reflection and continued reading of Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography and Morris’s biography, I gained an appreciation for the president’s capacity to value each son for his inherent qualities and essential personality. Ted inherited his father’s stellar sense of duty; Kermit shared his love of adventure and literature; Archie excelled in courage and physical toughness; and Quentin exhibited his father’s exuberance and mischief. While Roosevelt valued each of his sons, the book of Genesis presents a family fractured by favoritism. Isaac and Rebekah bore two sons, Esau and Jacob. In chapter 25, we learn that these twin boys, like Roosevelt’s sons Ted and Kermit, grew up in the same household yet had diverse interests and personalities. First out of the womb, the eldest, Esau, was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling inside the tent. And Isaac loved Esau, because he devoured Esau’s game. But Rebekah loved Jacob. This story of favoritism provides insight into the characters of the two boys and their parents. Even though Esau’s firstborn status included the privileges of a double portion of Isaac’s inheritance and the position of rightful leader of the family after his father passed, Esau did not value his legacy or step into his calling as the firstborn son. Instead, he willingly sold his birthright for a bowl of savory stew. In contrast, Jacob, the favored son of Rebekah, stepped into Esau’s place as the rightful heir of the family fortune. With Rebekah’s help, Jacob deceived his father by dressing in Esau’s clothes and covering his skin with animal pelts to become hairy like Esau and to receive Isaac’s blessing. Thus, Jacob took Esau’s blessing and suffered the aftermath of Esau’s hatred. When I think of an earthly example of a presidential father who appreciated each of his boys for who they were as individuals, I can think of no better model than Theodore Roosevelt. Even though his sense of duty kept him away for weeks at a time, Roosevelt appeared to love each boy for his unique personality and quirks. Perhaps this appreciation stemmed from the same exuberance and spirit that motivated and prepared Roosevelt to converse with all sorts of citizens and congressmen—a trait that cultivated broad acceptance. Earthly favoritism, like that of Isaac and Rebekah, cultivates rivalry and conflict that can fracture a family for a lifetime. Many of us look back on our lives carrying the scars of being the favorite or non-favorite child. But regardless of the brokenness we experienced in our earthly homes, we can look to our good Father for healing. God mends the pain of our childhood suffering because He loves us exactly as He created us in the womb. In a world of flawed human affection, we can find ultimate hope and security in a heavenly Father who never plays favorites. *Photo of Kermit Roosevelt (1889-1943), second son of Theodore and Edith Roosevelt, with Jack, the dog.