Bibledoorajar Looks at Self Preservation

                                   "Be not dismayed, whate' er betide,
                                    God will take care of you.
                                    Beneath His wings of love abide
                                    God will take care of you.

                                    God will take care of you,
                                    Through every day o'er all the way;
                                     He will take care of you,
                                     God will take care of you.

                                                   Words by Civilla D. Martin
                                                   Music by W. Stillman Martin

Jacob had come to his uncle's house and community and had enjoyed a month of hospitality. Now we see that Uncle Laban is evaluating his own struggle for his sustenance and prosperity. Why not put Jacob to work in the daily struggle for bread? He asked Jacob specifically what his wages would be under that circumstance. Jacob felt a fair wage would be seven years to work for bread but also for Rachel, the woman of his dreams. Here we see a community living out "by the sweat of your brow shall you get bread".  But Jacob's plan was to get much more; he intended to earn the girl that he loved. Clearly he expected no crookedness from Laban. Because of his great love for Rachel, the seven years would not be so hard that he could not imagine Rachel being his at the end.

Finally, the seven years passed and Jacob claimed his bride. Laban planned the celebration and that night Jacob went in to his new wife. Apparently there was no problem until Jacob saw his bride in the daylight.  Shocked, he was not looking at his beloved, but rather her sister whom he did not love. Leah was not as attractive as Rachel and her eye trouble was noticeable. The story speaks of her tender eyes and this is felt best interpreted as weak by most scholars. Some say she may have been cross-eyed. Whatever the exact trouble, Leah seems to not have seen the mismatch as a problem even though she had to have known that Jacob was in love with her sister. It seems that Leah, too, would express a little craftiness in gaining sustenance for her future. Or, maybe like some of her future progeny, she just didn't get it! Jacob was dismayed and complained to Laban about what he had done to him. It was a wakeup call that Jacob was going to have to expend great efforts to get what he wanted as a part of Laban's community. He had a wife and Laban wasn't budging! But, God was watching all of this and as Jacob sweated, Laban connived, and Leah and Rachel kept quiet, God was planning great blessings for Jacob. Be not dismayed our timing is not God's timing; our ways are not God's ways. His power to bless inept human efforts in order to carry out His will for them and others is always present and always active. Let's not get in His way!