Let’s make a deal!
When I was growing up there was a very popular game show called Let’s Make a Deal, revolving around deal making in order to gain the most wealth available from the show.
Today’s post is about when Jacob and Laban make a deal.
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 29:15-20
“Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?” Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.
“Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
“And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.”
The Power of Love
Jacob must have been smitten with Rachel because he made a huge offer to Laban: I’ll work for 7 years for your daughter Rachel in marriage.
He rather showed his keenness — “showed his cards!” — didn’t he.
Laban took the offer without bargaining. Perhaps he thought over the passing of seven years, his older daughter would get married.
Family love
On the surface of it, at the outset of the bargain, each side seemed to be negotiating to the benefit of the other. Jacob made a generous offer and Laban excepted it without debate. Well, they’re family, so given their enthusiastic meeting, they trusted each other, right?
But we have a clue to Laban’s character earlier in the chapter, even before we meet him:
“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.” (Genesis 29:8)
I believe this shows an extremely structured way of working, which exposes a lot of control being used in shepherding the flocks under Laban.
The need for Discernment
Bargains are a rather binding thing, particularly during the time of the Patriarchs when written contacts were non-existent. A man’s word was his bond, so much so that scripture talks extensively about the authority of a promise.
Leviticus 6 discusses bargain-breaking: “If a person sins and commits a trespass against the Lord by lying to his neighbour about what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or about a pledge, or about a robbery, or if he has extorted from his neighbour….”
To cheat another is to cheat the Lord!
And since GOD takes very seriously how we treat one another and that we keep our pledges, we must be certain when we are entering into a bargain, that not only we can keep it, but that will be kept by both parties.
Thus it was and so it is today. We must be certain to deal with others wisely and not enter into agreements with those who are untrustworthy. Let’s all ask the LORD for and prune our skills of discernment. Hopefully little is necessary when connecting within the body of believers, though sadly perhaps of greater importance within the world.