A gentle encounter
When Jacob comes upon Haran, the land where Laban dwells, he has reached his destination… and his matrimonial destiny. When Jacob meets Laban what begins with joy will lead to human misery.
Preparing the Bride for GOD’s Story
How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? One aspect is to learn GOD’S STORY. He created us in His image…. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. And we learn His perspective.
Genesis 29:1-14
“So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth.
“And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?”
“And they said, “We are from Haran.”
“Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?”
“And they said, “We know him.”
“So he said to them, “Is he well?”
“And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.”
“Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
“But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”
“Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father.
“Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.”
Two Schemers
Here the kinsfolk meet: Jacob and Laban. Jacob has a history of working diligently to get something (from his brother, from his father) he isn’t entitled to. Now he meets someone whom we know will outdo him. We reap what we sow.
The culture is alive in this text. The gentle pace, the heat of the day, the strangers encountering one another. And a host of kisses for kinsfolk.
Have we lost the culture of greeting, of meeting strangers with grace and conversation?
For me, this brief piece is about family, about culture, about respect and grace and dignity.
This piece shows us GOD’s way of bringing family together from a distance, of bringing people together to respect one another, and of bringing together relatives who are strangers and yet, in brotherhood with one another.
As the story unfolds over the next weeks, please let us remember: Jacob and Laban are cousins, family and yet they are schemers by their very nature. How would this story have turned out if they were trustworthy, loving and kind to one another?
And let us highlight for next time a little aspect that may otherwise be left unnoticed: “We cannot [water the sheep] until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.” A very controlled and structured way of working. Just hold onto that thought…
No wonder we need Jesus to show us the way to live, to love one another, to show the world how to co-exist.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13: 34-35)