January 10 - Genesis 28:6-30:24

Good morning everyone,

As we continue through Genesis this morning, Jacob has stolen his father’s blessing which makes Esau more than a little angry, so much so his mother, Rebekah, feared for Jacob’s life and told him to get ready to flee to his uncle’s house until Esau cooled down. Jacob goes to his dad and says, “I’m out.” (paraphrased) But before he leaves, though, Isaac gave him his blessing, encouraging him to find and marry a woman from his uncles house and have many children. Praying God’s promise upon him.

While on the road, Jacob stopped at sundown to rest and God appeared to him in a dream and confirmed the covenant promise God had given to Abraham and Isaac was to also be offered to Jacob as well. Jacob is awed by God's presence but still, being Jacob, tries to make a deal with Him by vowing that if God keeps His promise in four specifically personal ways. Ughhh! Jacob wants protection on his way, food, clothing, and a safe return home, telling God if he gets this, he will acknowledge Him and even reward Him by tithing -- to "sweeten the pot" for God, as it were. Right? I totally love that God does not respond to this at all. I can just see Him up there in heaven, shaking his head, chuckling to himself thinking, “Oh, kids …..”

When Jacob reaches his destination, he meets Rachel and falls head over heals in love with her and will trade seven years of his life to be her husband. However the deceiver will now become the deceived as his uncle Laban will pull a fast one over on Jacob in an effort to get the older daughter, Leah married off as well. When Jacob found out he had married the wrong girl he was angry, but it was a done deal. Laban would allow him to marry Rachel too in the following weeks, but it would cost Jacob another seven years work for her, a price he was glad to pay. It would be these two women and their servants that would give birth to twelve sons representing the twelve tribes of Israel. 

When I look back on this story I think of how okay Jacob was with tricking his dad and brother. He didn’t see anything wrong with dishing it out, stomping on anyone who got in his way while going after what he wanted. But when he was on the receiving end of being fooled it didn’t feel quite so good and he did not like it. 

Luke 6:31 says, “Treat others the same way you want to them to treat you.” It’s the “Golden Rule” right? But it just doesn’t always work that way. The problem I see, (in all my infinite wisdom) is fear and pride. That chain just keeps getting thicker and longer and so far as I can figure there is only one way to break that unhealthy chain and that is to allow yourself, to allow ourselves, to be vulnerable. (Ouch! What!?!) Yes, indeed. We need to treat others the way we want to be treated, especially when we pretty much figure they will not do it in return. They may even think we are a little bit wacky or be even crueler to us to provoke. But that’s okay, God allowed us so much grace and expects us to be very generous with it in return. We must always be a person of our word, strive to never ever let people down and always try to go beyond the level of kindness and generosity that others have ever seen or have come to expect. Make sense?

Matthew 7:12 also tells us, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” I’ll be honest with you, I don’t always treat others the way I want to be treated. Over and over I will sin and all fall short of God's glorious standard. But I try. Every minute of every day, I really, really do try. I hope you do too, because the more we act that way the better at it we get. Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..