January 10th

Genesis 28:6-30:24

We began the adventures of Jacob, who was sent to his relatives to find a wife. It would be important to keep the purity of the Hebrew race by marrying inside the family, especially marrying others who believe in God. Esau was rebellious in this way and first married Canaanite women; later, he tried to make amends for his poor decision and married some of Ishmael’s daughters.

The main topic of our reading today was Jacob’s falling in love with Rachel and working hard for her hand in marriage. We also read how God blessed Jacob by providing him with eleven sons (so far) and a daughter; his father Isaac prayed for this in Genesis 28:3, “May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples.”

However, in the midst of God’s blessing Jacob, there was a treacherous event. It was, of course, the deceitfulness of Laban, Rachel’s father, to trick Jacob into first marrying Leah, his oldest daughter. The truth that I cannot ignore here is that the deception of Jacob, to trick his father Isaac and steal his brother’s birthright and blessing, was returned to him by Laban. Jacob, the trickster, was himself tricked.

These repercussions were not coincidental either; they will be repeated throughout Jacob’s life. In the stories ahead, Jacob’s family return his deceitfulness a hundredfold. The truth is clear — whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

Daily Reflection

When, in your own life, have you seen this principle come true, that you reap what you sow?