24 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. 25 The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. 26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.
27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Genesis 25:24-28
So we have two sons with very different interests and drives. Isaac liked Esau, and Jacob was probably a mama’s boy.
It’s really no different today. Some kids like to fix cars, while others like science or academics. Not everyone needs to be a mechanic, and not everyone needs to be a teacher or academic.
Recently I’ve watched 1940s videos where professions such as musicians and artists were looked down upon by the parents. Those weren’t real jobs. I recall the story of Jeff Dunham. He was a magician and ventriloquist, and his father didn’t believe it was something he could make a career of.
Today, Dunham is one of the highest grossing entertainer in America. His father did come around to his way of thinking early in his career, that is, after the money and fame was substantial.
The two are brothers, and we’ll see shortly how they interact and fight with one another. It’s a part of life and growing up.
Most of the families you know have kids who are totally different from one another. That’s the way it should be. They, too, need prayer as they navigate through the pitfalls and pathways of growing up. They need to know that their career choices are valid even if parents don’t think they are.
On the other hand, the kids also need to be humble enough to take the counsel from those who may know better. Case in point is my friend. His father was a petroleum engineer, and he suggested his son do the same, even though the son wanted to major in music. The father’s advice was to pursue music on the side because engineering will put food on the table. The man chose engineering, retired comfortably at age 56, and now does as much music as he wants.
Bottom line is kids need encouragement and prayer as they grow into adulthood.