Today’s Reading: Genesis 29; Genesis 30; Luke 12
Scripture: Genesis 29:18, 20-21, 23, 25
18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel."...
20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her."...
23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her...
25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?"
Observation: Jacob is experiencing one of the laws of the universe. It's the law of the harvest. Whatever you plant, that is what you will harvest. A man reaps what he sows. So Jacob who has manipulated and conspired and lied and cheated is himself cheated by his uncle Laban. What Laban did to him is wrong, but Jacob himself planted the seeds of this in his past. And here he is experiencing some bitter fruit in his present.
Application: I'm not sure how this works, but I am sure that it does work. We plant seeds with our thoughts, intentions, words, actions, attitudes, and so forth. And those seeds, good or bad, bring their fruit into our lives. So the message is: plant good seeds. Do good. Bless people. Treat others how you want to be treated. What goes around, comes around. So put the good out there, and God will reward you with good.
Prayer: Lord, I want to be always planting good seed. Help me to see any ways in which I am not doing so. Assist me with Your divine goodness to participate in blessing others and blessing the universe. Make me a conduit of Your goodness.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
1 comment:
These verses struck me also, because I was considering this besetting sin in the life of Abraham, Isaac and now Jacob also. It seems to get worse with each generation. I think one of the purposes of the law of sowing and reaping is to teach us what effect our actions have on others. It allows us to experience our own sin from the viewpoint of others so we can put ourselves in their shoes so that we may (hopefully) truly repent of such actions. But it is also equally true that at times we suffer when we have not planted bad seed. Just like jesus, we also suffer unjustly at times. The main point is that we stay close to Jesus and become perfected in either case.
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