Links for today’s readings:
Read: Genesis 29 Listen: (4:45), Read: Mark 7 Listen: (4:28)
Scripture Focus: Genesis 29.9-14
9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”
Reflection: Laban’s Flesh and Blood
By John Tillman
Laban exclaims to Jacob, “You are my own flesh and blood.”
This could mean, “You are my kin,” but Laban did not say this when he met Jacob. He said it after hearing Jacob’s story of manipulation, deception, and trickery. It seems more likely Laban recognized a kindred spirit.
Game recognizes game.
No one appreciates a con artist like another con artist and Laban’s whole family had skills. Laban, Rebekah, Jacob, and Rachel all chalk up victories gained by deceit.
We probably think we would never use deception like Laban, Rebekah, Jacob, and Rachel, but we all have a little Laban in us. We like to get the better of situations. We want to get our way. We like to win. We hate to lose. The old sports truism, “If you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying,” is baked into our culture and into our hearts.
If we asked these tricksters why, they’d probably say they had no choice. Laban might say, “I was defending Leah’s honor.” Rebekah might say, “I was saving my son’s life and fulfilling God’s promise to me.” Jacob might say, “It was the only way to escape Laban’s unfair treatment.” Rachel might say, “I was protecting our family from my father’s gods.”
We might not be Laban’s “flesh and blood,” but we all have fleshly, sinful desires that grow stronger under stress. When threatened, a little bit of Laban may come out. Moral relativism creeps in holding fear’s hand.
But didn’t God use these things for his will? Yes. However, God’s use of a person or deed does not equal God’s endorsement of that person or deed and God’s will is not so fragile as to require our moral compromise to bring it to pass.
Beware those with Laban-like hearts. They will tell you, “We can’t afford to lose.” They will say “This is the only way to win.” They are wrong on both counts. God’s most glorious victories aren’t achieved by human deception, cheating, or schemes. In Christ, we can afford to lose anything for his sake and all things have been won on our behalf.
How Laban-like is your heart? How much do you hate to lose? What are you willing to do to win? We don’t have to give in to those Laban-like tendencies.
Instead of being recognized as Laban’s flesh and blood, let us be recognized by kinship with Christ.
Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
Show us the light of your countenance, O God, and come to us. — Psalm 67.1
– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.
Read more: No White Hats
Jacob sinned by resorting to deceit and theft to gain what had already been promised by God.
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