Genesis 32:1-21 - A Heart of Restitution

While it's certainly true that Jacob is frightened of his imminent reunion with his brother Esau, he chooses not to be paralyzed by his fear. He prays, and he acts.

He prays, knowing that God is already with him, and he reminds God that He has promised not to leave him but to fulfill that which was promised to him beforehand.

He acts, and in his actions shows that he is trying to make some sort of restitution for what he has unjustly taken from Esau.

In the process of discussing the very biblical and specific concept of restitution, it is worth distinguishing that from the highly unbiblical (but popular) concept of reparations.

Restitution is specific, dealing with specific victims and specific perpetrators, while reparations cannot nail down specific victims and perpetrators, and so those who demand it use incredibly broad (and unbiblical) brush strokes to do so.