‘WHEN LOVE LOOKS LOPSIDED’

A Deep Thoughts Devotional Story
©Opeyemi Akintunde
As Inspired by the Living Word

I remember sitting with a young boy named Damilare during a school outreach. He was barely 14, yet his eyes carried the weight of someone much older.

When I asked why he was always in trouble, his answer shocked me:

“Ma, my parents love my younger brother more. They say it, they show it, and it hurts. So, if they already see me as the bad one, I might as well act it out.”

It wasn’t that Damilare was evil. He was simply wounded. His rebellion was his loudest cry for love.

And suddenly, I thought of Esau.

Esau wasn’t a bad boy. But because Isaac loved him while Rebekah openly preferred Jacob, Esau’s heart hardened. He married foreign wives just to spite his parents (Genesis 26:34–35). Later, in anger, he even plotted to kill his own brother (Genesis 27:41).

But years later, when healing came, we see a different Esau, the brother who ran to embrace Jacob in tears (Genesis 33:4).

His rebellion wasn’t who he truly was. It was simply the fruit of feeling unloved.

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Rebellion often begins in the soil of rejection.
When a child, spouse, employee, or even a church member feels less valued, bitterness can grow.

The truth is, most rebels are just wounded hearts looking for recognition.

Parents, your children are watching: Is love balanced in your home?
Leaders, your team is watching: Do you celebrate one while ignoring the others?
Spouses, your partner is watching: Do you prefer the children above them?

When love looks lopsided, rebellion often becomes the uninvited guest.

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KEY SCRIPTURE:

“Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” – Colossians 3:21

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PRAYER POINTS:

1. Lord, heal every wound caused by rejection in my life and family.

2. Father, give me the wisdom to love people equally and genuinely.

3. Lord, uproot every seed of rebellion in my home, church, and workplace.

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Written by Opeyemi Akintunde
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