Wow! Time sure flies. My last post was 2 1/2 weeks ago. Interestingly, the speed at which we feel time passing is so influenced by our age and by the trials we are going through. Rachel certainly must have felt like time was moving at a snails pace in her life! First she waited and waited to be married to the man she loved (seven years and then Leah stepped in her place). Next, she waited and waited to bear children as she watch Leah have baby after baby. My heart goes out to Rachel. When we are waiting time goes SO slow! When we are waiting, it is SO hard to trust God! When we are waiting, it is SO easy to become consumed with what is not happening. In those thoughts we can become self-absorbed and focus on how to get what we want, no matter the cost.
Rachel sadly got caught up in the waiting and started figuring out how to do things her way, rather than God's way. I don't want to minimize the pain of what she had experienced. She had been in love with Jacob and waiting to marry the man of her dreams and at the last minute her dad pulled out his power card. Maybe he had started off with pure intentions, hoping that during Jacob's seven years of working for him he could find a spouse for Leah. But, seven years later, Leah still wasn't spoken for.
Can you imagine what it must have been like for Leah. The oldest sister is suppose to get married first, yet her younger sister was spoken for and she wasn't. I wonder how often Rachel's beauty "trumped" Leah's desires and needs. I wonder how she felt about being a part of deceiving Jacob at the wedding. Did she feel justified and happy that she was getting what Rachel wanted? Did she feel used and forced to do something she didn't want to do?
Both Rachel and Leah had different "triggers" that made us vulnerable to being selfish. What are the triggers that make you potentially selfish? Is waiting on God's timing hard for you? Do you get frustrated at the way He does it? Do you feel like He is ignoring you and you need to step in and do something to start making things happen. Or, is your trigger feeling like others are always getting what you want? Do you feel like someone else is getting what you want? Does this lead you to actions that involve deception to get what you want? When things go your way do you say "I told you so" and gloat over the other?
We all have vulnerabilities to selfishness and it is important to know what they are so we don't deceive ourselves. Join us next time as we see how Rachel and Leah interact in their competition for sons and Jacob.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Real House Wives of the Bible: Sisters Who Share More Than They Want, Part I
No story of "real" housewives would be complete without a set of sisters and a story filled with sibling rivalry at its best. There is competition! One is beautiful, the other is simple. One is loved by their shared husband,the other is not. One is VERY fertile, the other is not! This story has so many twists and turns it could have its own break off series called "Rachel and Leah Get Married". This story is filled with wolfish behavior, self-absorption abounds on all levels. Yet, in the midst of all of it God is sovereign and He works in spite of all the drama!
Here is the story. A very handsome man named Jacob flees from home. Why? Well he was his mother's favorite child and the second born. Jacob, at his mother's prompting, tricks his father into giving him his brother's blessing. It was a deception that stole what was rightfully belonged to someone else. Jacob flees in fear of his life. After traveling a long way, he comes across a well and the woman of his dreams, Rachel! Jacob is so enamored that he agrees to work for Rachel's father seven years in order to have her hand in marriage. However, Jacob doesn't realize that he has encountered a Wolf, who knows how to manipulate and lie to get what he wants. Jacob has met his match!
Seven years later, the day Jacob has longed for arrives and he marries Rachel. They have a magical night together. In the morning, whoops, he realizes he has married Rachel's older sister Leah. Talk about irony! Jacob had deceived his blind father by putting on animal skins, so when his father touched him he concluded he was was Esau, the oldest son. Rachel's father, clothes Leah in Rachel's wedding attire and then in the darkness of the night Jacob is unable to see who he has married.
Let's step back for a minute and reflect. It is always easier to see the wolfness in others. When Jacob's mom loved him more than his brother Esau, do you think she considered the consequences of this? Did she consider how this would effect Jacob's moral development? When Jacob willingly became a part of the plot to deceive his father, did he consider what it would do to his father or his brother Esau? Or, did Jacob just want what he wanted when he wanted it. When Jacob realized Rachel's father had tricked him, did he see that he was beat at his own selfish game, or did he think that Rachel's father was a manipulative Wolf who did whatever he needed to to get what he wanted?
What is it in your life that you so easily justify, but when someone else does it you clearly see the selfishness? What is it that you see in your spouse that drive you nuts? Why? What might it reveal about your own selfishness? 1st Corinthians 13 tells us that love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Would Jacob have stolen his brother's blessings? What is it that you want that you don't have? What extent are you going to to get it? 1st Corinthians 13 also tells us love doesn't force itself on others? Where are you forcing your way?
Next week, we will see how Rachel gets her way, regardless of the cost to others or herself. We will also see how Leah sends emotional darts Rachel's way!
Here is the story. A very handsome man named Jacob flees from home. Why? Well he was his mother's favorite child and the second born. Jacob, at his mother's prompting, tricks his father into giving him his brother's blessing. It was a deception that stole what was rightfully belonged to someone else. Jacob flees in fear of his life. After traveling a long way, he comes across a well and the woman of his dreams, Rachel! Jacob is so enamored that he agrees to work for Rachel's father seven years in order to have her hand in marriage. However, Jacob doesn't realize that he has encountered a Wolf, who knows how to manipulate and lie to get what he wants. Jacob has met his match!
Seven years later, the day Jacob has longed for arrives and he marries Rachel. They have a magical night together. In the morning, whoops, he realizes he has married Rachel's older sister Leah. Talk about irony! Jacob had deceived his blind father by putting on animal skins, so when his father touched him he concluded he was was Esau, the oldest son. Rachel's father, clothes Leah in Rachel's wedding attire and then in the darkness of the night Jacob is unable to see who he has married.
Let's step back for a minute and reflect. It is always easier to see the wolfness in others. When Jacob's mom loved him more than his brother Esau, do you think she considered the consequences of this? Did she consider how this would effect Jacob's moral development? When Jacob willingly became a part of the plot to deceive his father, did he consider what it would do to his father or his brother Esau? Or, did Jacob just want what he wanted when he wanted it. When Jacob realized Rachel's father had tricked him, did he see that he was beat at his own selfish game, or did he think that Rachel's father was a manipulative Wolf who did whatever he needed to to get what he wanted?
What is it in your life that you so easily justify, but when someone else does it you clearly see the selfishness? What is it that you see in your spouse that drive you nuts? Why? What might it reveal about your own selfishness? 1st Corinthians 13 tells us that love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Would Jacob have stolen his brother's blessings? What is it that you want that you don't have? What extent are you going to to get it? 1st Corinthians 13 also tells us love doesn't force itself on others? Where are you forcing your way?
Next week, we will see how Rachel gets her way, regardless of the cost to others or herself. We will also see how Leah sends emotional darts Rachel's way!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Ruth, A Housewife Who Lived Beyond the Rumors
No story on housewives would be complete without the concept of rumors and gossip! Rumors have the power to break anything and anyone! In an instant a reputation can be brought down. In Ruth's case, gossip and rumors became her saving grace. Word had gotten out in Bethlehem about Naomi and her companion Ruth. People were talking! They were talking about the tragedy the women had suffered, but they were also talking about Ruth's extraordinary loyalty. Not only had she stayed with her mother-in-law, but she had denied her god for Israel's God.
Can you imagine? Once they got through talking about the death's of Naomi's husband and sons, they would then go on to talk about Ruth. Who was she? Why did she stay with Naomi? Didn't she know that it was not a smart thing to do? Didn't she realize that she had given up her future, not to mention the danger she was putting her self in. Now she was gleaning from the left-overs of the harvest in order for her and Naomi to have work. A young women, with no male protection.
There was one man, Boaz, who was deeply touched by the rumor. He knew what a remarkable thing it had been for Ruth to remain loyal to the family she had married into and to forsake her people's god. Her story touched him deeply and it moved him to action. He decided that a loyalty like this should be acknowledge and he offered Ruth the ability to gleen in his fields and provide her protection.
Our reputations are more than who we are, they are also how we reflect Christ in our lives! Are people talking about the light in your life? Or, are they talking about he darkness in your life?
Ruth's reputation for sacrifice and loyalty continue. It is a way of being. It is who she is. When Naomi hears of Boaz offer, she send Ruth to sleep at the foot of his bed. Ruth's response is automatic compliance. She doesn't stop to think, "What will this do to my reputation." She doesn't question Naomi's intentions. Rather she trusts Naomi. And, she is trusting Naomi's God.
How often do we look at our circumstances and look at those who have "control" in our life and questions them? How often do we grumble at our circumstances? How often do we pay attention to the gossip and rumors being spread about us and try to defend ourselves?
Ruth stayed true to who she was! She continued to do the right thing, regardless of how difficult the circumstances were. Regardless of how difficult the request was! And, with this God opened the flood gates of blessing!
Remember, a Wolf's self-absorption may infact be a circumstance that God is divinely orchestrating to bring about His purpose in your life!
Can you imagine? Once they got through talking about the death's of Naomi's husband and sons, they would then go on to talk about Ruth. Who was she? Why did she stay with Naomi? Didn't she know that it was not a smart thing to do? Didn't she realize that she had given up her future, not to mention the danger she was putting her self in. Now she was gleaning from the left-overs of the harvest in order for her and Naomi to have work. A young women, with no male protection.
There was one man, Boaz, who was deeply touched by the rumor. He knew what a remarkable thing it had been for Ruth to remain loyal to the family she had married into and to forsake her people's god. Her story touched him deeply and it moved him to action. He decided that a loyalty like this should be acknowledge and he offered Ruth the ability to gleen in his fields and provide her protection.
Our reputations are more than who we are, they are also how we reflect Christ in our lives! Are people talking about the light in your life? Or, are they talking about he darkness in your life?
Ruth's reputation for sacrifice and loyalty continue. It is a way of being. It is who she is. When Naomi hears of Boaz offer, she send Ruth to sleep at the foot of his bed. Ruth's response is automatic compliance. She doesn't stop to think, "What will this do to my reputation." She doesn't question Naomi's intentions. Rather she trusts Naomi. And, she is trusting Naomi's God.
How often do we look at our circumstances and look at those who have "control" in our life and questions them? How often do we grumble at our circumstances? How often do we pay attention to the gossip and rumors being spread about us and try to defend ourselves?
Ruth stayed true to who she was! She continued to do the right thing, regardless of how difficult the circumstances were. Regardless of how difficult the request was! And, with this God opened the flood gates of blessing!
Remember, a Wolf's self-absorption may infact be a circumstance that God is divinely orchestrating to bring about His purpose in your life!
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