Last 5 Days
Don't Show Favouritism
29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.
30:1 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.” 4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. 7 Rachel's servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.
9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad. 12 Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.
14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son's mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.
19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.
22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”
We find all kinds of strange characters in the Old Testament with very exciting story lines. One such example is Jacob, with his two wives fighting for his attention, out of jealousy.
Jacob might have been influenced by his parents - his father favouring his brother Esau and his mother flavouring him. Jacob grew up in a home that lacked a sound understanding of love. He might be just following his parents' example: openly loving Rachel and snubbing Leah. He probably didn't put himself in Leah's shoes to realise it would be really hard to be left out (or even hated).
God saw Leah's misery and enabled her to give birth. Rachel was barren though. To a certain extent, this reflects God's justice. God comforts those who are in pain, and causes the proud to suffer a little setback, lest they be too proud.
What spiritual lessons do the stories of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel teach us?
Firstly, don't be partial to our children. We parents are sometimes biased unknowingly. A brother once told me his observation, "I can see that you have a special love for your third child." I was shocked. I said I never knew it that way. I love all three of them the same. I really don't mean to be biased. However, the truth is that people are often partial without themselves realising it. The principle of no favouritism also applies at workplace and in church. In church, we sometimes prefer one preacher or a leader over another. God does not give us a loving environment for us to practise loving people, but builds our ability to love through people and situation we are least willing to give love to. May we try our best to be objective and impartial when we show our love.
Secondly, when we encounter misery, cry to God. Don’t use worldly methods to solve it. Hannah and Rachel in the Old Testament both had the similar experience. Instead of complaining to her husband, Hannah prayed to God with tears. God heard Hannah's prayer and opened her womb. Rachel, on the other hand, used the method of surrogate mother to keep her place in Jacob's heart. Rachel's solution eventually resulted in many complicated family problems not pleasing to God.
