Genesis 30:1 (ESV): “When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or I shall die!’”
When Jacob first laid eyes on Rachel, he fell head over heels in love with this woman. He pledged to work seven years for her father Laban as a dowry payment for her hand in marriage. After seven long years, the wedding day finally came. The veiled bride marched down the aisle; vows of commitment were exchanged; then the couple went off to the honeymoon tent! When Jacob lifted his bride’s veil, he was shocked that instead of Rachel he had married her older sister Leah. Jacob confronted Laban who agreed to give him Rachel also for seven more years of labor.
Poor Leah. The older sister. The less attractive sister. The sister forced to participate in a devilish scheme just to get her married off. She must have felt humiliated! Younger sister Rachel was the beautiful one, the loved on, the chosen one. Leah was the tag-along. God blessed Leah with many children; including her son Judah – the lineage from which Jesus would be born. Rachel became extremely jealous. She could not allow Leah to steal attention or glory from her. In her envious rage, she accused Jacob of purposely not giving her children, too.
That’s what jealousy does…it causes us to behave in ridiculous and hurtful ways. We are so focused on what we think we are missing out on, that we do not consider the injury we are causing in the wake of our emotional tantrums. The Bible says that envy makes the bones rot (Proverbs 14:30). It is our ultimate declaration that “God is not good!” How could He be good, if we think He is withholding something good from us? The truth is, though, we can trust God with the desires of our heart. And, in wisdom and love, He will satisfy our every longing with Himself, even if He does not give us everything we think we want.
Let gratitude for God’s love replace any jealousy in your heart today!
Theresa
When Jacob first laid eyes on Rachel, he fell head over heels in love with this woman. He pledged to work seven years for her father Laban as a dowry payment for her hand in marriage. After seven long years, the wedding day finally came. The veiled bride marched down the aisle; vows of commitment were exchanged; then the couple went off to the honeymoon tent! When Jacob lifted his bride’s veil, he was shocked that instead of Rachel he had married her older sister Leah. Jacob confronted Laban who agreed to give him Rachel also for seven more years of labor.
Poor Leah. The older sister. The less attractive sister. The sister forced to participate in a devilish scheme just to get her married off. She must have felt humiliated! Younger sister Rachel was the beautiful one, the loved on, the chosen one. Leah was the tag-along. God blessed Leah with many children; including her son Judah – the lineage from which Jesus would be born. Rachel became extremely jealous. She could not allow Leah to steal attention or glory from her. In her envious rage, she accused Jacob of purposely not giving her children, too.
That’s what jealousy does…it causes us to behave in ridiculous and hurtful ways. We are so focused on what we think we are missing out on, that we do not consider the injury we are causing in the wake of our emotional tantrums. The Bible says that envy makes the bones rot (Proverbs 14:30). It is our ultimate declaration that “God is not good!” How could He be good, if we think He is withholding something good from us? The truth is, though, we can trust God with the desires of our heart. And, in wisdom and love, He will satisfy our every longing with Himself, even if He does not give us everything we think we want.
Let gratitude for God’s love replace any jealousy in your heart today!
Theresa
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