At His Feet

Laban in our lives

Some reflections about Laban

After reading Abraham, I sort of skipped some pages and ended up caught up in the story of Jacob when he went to his relative Laban's house to seek a wife. Some things stood out to me that pretty much goes under my skin. It's a curious thing to see the family members of Laban because Laban was a greedy uncle who coned Jacob into working for him for free by performing the old "switch O roo" with his daughters, thus leading Leah to be unloved by Jacob and miserable, and making Jacob work for him for a hard 14 years total. Then when Jacob's debt was finally paid off, Laban tried to keep all the wealth that belongs to Jacob by hiding the speckled and black sheep that Jacob asked for. (Who does that?!)

Read it: Genesis 30:25-43

Laban was greedy. In the scriptures, it shows that Laban knew exactly where all the wealth came from: God was blessing Jacob and it splashed onto him. Everything Jacob worked on, God blessed and brought in wealth and Laban was the one Jacob was working for to pay off his debts. Given this, do you really think Laban would want his "piggy bank" to walk away? He tricked the poor lad and tried to do so again so Jacob can walk away with nothing (or perhaps stay there.) Reading about this made me mad because it always boggles me hearing or seeing a family member that steals or tricks their own blood.

Personally, I never experienced that type of trickery and I am very thankful for that. I was raised to honor family and be there for them when times get tough. If one of us fell, my family would laugh then pick each other up (because that's family.) Or when my dad fell sick a couple of weeks ago with the virus, all of my family was concerned. We prayed for him and made sure to give him things he asked for like water or food. That's just how we are with each other but there are some people I recently heard of whose families are not like that and that angers me.

It doesn't seem to click in my mind how someone could steal from their own families or neglect their families because it doesn't fit their lives. It just blows my mind! What the point of wealth if it means burning your own family?

I'm not trying to bash anybody (don't take it that way) because on the other hand I have no clue what people go through but still, when a person if in their right mind and knows full well what they are doing when they pull a "Laban" then you know something is not right!

Sorry for the rant guys, I'm a tad heated reading the greed of Laban. This is just my observation, please read it yourselves and tell me your personal thoughts about it. I'll be happy to read what you guys write.

It is interesting seeing how Jacob doesn't fight back with Laban, knowing all these years how his own blood deceived him. Instead of fighting the debt, Jacob chose to work hard to pay it off and God blessed everything he did. Even when Laban had all the speckled and black sheep taken away without Jacob noticing, Jacob worked hard with tending the sheep and each time they gave birth, God made it so the babies (especially the strong ones) came out speckled and black, giving Jacob more wealth than Laban.

Jacob didn't have to vindicate himself or scream at the top of his lungs against the wickedness of his own uncle. He just remained quiet, worked off his debt, and he allowed God vindicate him. That's an amazing thing!

Look at the contrast between me and Jacob right now: Jacob chose to just work and leave it in God's hand and here I am ranting up a storm, wanting to throw fists for what Laban did to Jacob. See the contrast here people?

Also forgive me for my hot temper...that's something God is helping me to deal with so now I know this story was meant for me to read! God is awesome!

It's like what my mom said to me yesterday over the phone. She's a very sweet woman and a hard worker times seven then add that with ten. Everything she does, God blesses her in and it overflows and she willingly shares it with others. One problem though, that gets to me, is that sometimes people attempt to use her and cheat her out of her rightful reward. She tells me what people try to do and it angers me, hearing it but yesterday she told me she doesn't have to help the people but God simply told her to love on them so she chooses to help them.

Now that is a powerful thing, something God is showing me too. He's teaching me to love others especially when my emotions don't want to love. God showed me that LOVE is an ACTION, not an emotion and when I act on emotions, it never ends well. Emotions are not bad but it's our reactions towards them that can be bad.

Take a look at Cain for example. He felt dejected because the offering he gave to God was not accepted. God told him, "You will be accepted if you respond in the right way. But if you refuse to respond correctly, then watch out! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must subdue it." - Genesis 4:7

What happened after that warning about responding the right way? Cain refused to respond correctly to the anger he felt and he ended up killing Abel, his own brother.

Looking at Laban, it's clear to me now that God wants me to love the people who are "Labans" in my own life: The people that hurt me or cheat me or look down on me...God wants me to love on them and that will require being intentional. I must be intentional about loving everyone even if the things they say or do makes my blood boil. I need to control my actions and simply let God be the one to vindicate me.

Father God,

God, You are mighty and wise, always going on ahead of me to make the path clear and giving me the strength to climb the mountains that stand in my way. Father God, Thank You for Your Holy words and also opening my eyes to this passage, giving me the answer on how to love even when I don't feel like it. I am grateful that You will be with me no matter what, showing me how to subdue sin. Lord Jesus Christ, my God and my God Son, please bless everyone who even glances at this message and God, give them the strength as well to be deliberate in their actions. God, please bless everything they do and help them to let You take care of their problems out of their control. God, I thank You for Your goodness and mercy as well as Your justice and righteousness. Thank You for Your discipline that makes us Holy like You, In Jesus Christ mightiest and holiest name, I pray, Amen!

God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I love You!