There are so many powerful lessons and sermons contained in the account of Jacob’s 20 years with Laban that one hardly knows where to begin. Surely these chapters of Genesis describe one of history’s most dysfunctional families. Jacob’s twisted marital arrangements and labor agreements in order to marry one of his uncle’s daughters with the unbelievable and adulterous relationships with servants, along with the lies, deception and bartering that follows, holds a glaring truth that can be learned by even the most casual reading of this story. An ingredient necessary to all marriages is a selfless love. Jacob loved Rachel but in reality he was first attracted by her physical beauty, meanwhile his treatment of his legitimate wife Leah is abominable. Furthermore, although God does intervene to bring children into the picture, what results is everyone trying to work out their relationships by themselves. Personally, I have been saddened and bewildered by the unnecessary breakups of what began as good marriages only to fail. Why? In my opinion, because love, the unselfish kind, is not the dominant emotion in those marriages. In Jacob’s family, we read of anger, deception, jealousy, stealing, lust, everything but true love. God worked with Jacob and all his misadventures with Rachel, Leah, Laban and his children to bring good from it. His sons become an important legacy in the destiny of the Jewish people. But these chapters of Genesis illustrate the dysfunctional nature of man in general, and the need for God in every relationship with the absolute necessity of selflessness and love in our families.
Love conquers all, always has, always will.
Rev. Harold Hazen, Fort Wayne, Ind.
