“See that no one . . . is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son” – Hebrews 2:16

Right Choices

Hartland Monahan. Long-time Penguins fans shudder when they hear his name. They have nothing against him personally; it’s just that in 1977, the Penguins traded their No. 1 draft choice in 1979 to the Washington Capitals for the journeyman right winger. Hartland might have been a fine person off the ice, but he didn’t do much to help the Penguins; in fact he didn’t even finish the season with the Pens, and went on to play for numerous teams throughout his career.

And who might the Pens have drafted had they held onto that precious overall pick? How about Ray Bourque, one of the top defensemen of all time; Mike Gartner, who scored more than 700 goals in his NHL career; Kevin Lowe, who helped to lead the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cups; or Brian Propp or Michel Goulet, to name a few other stars.

Like Esau, who sold his birthright for a pot of stew, and like the Penguins, who traded a No. 1 draft pick for a player who didn’t help the team, we should pray about making the right choices, and be careful not to sacrifice the future for something that looks promising at the moment.

— Lois Thomson