Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis- Day Twenty-Six
Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis
Weird – “of strange or extraordinary character.”
Normal – “conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern”
Seriously, Laban? Are you going to go there? An old saying comes to my mind when I think of the relationship between Jacob and his father-in-law/uncle, Laban: “the pot calling the kettle black.” We know that Jacob was a deceiver from the get-go, but really this seems to be a family trait. It was Laban who deceived Jacob with the wedding night switcheroo. Then Jacob had to work seven more years to get the wife he wanted in the first place – Rachel. That’s 14 years of labor on the family farm.
Rachel and Leah (and their servants, Bilhah and Zilpah) started having a bunch of children – Laban’s grandchildren…more sons to work on the family farm. Everything was going well. The flocks were increasing. Jacob went to Laban and said, “It’s time for me to be moving on. You know how much work I’ve done for you. Let me take my wives and children and just head out.” Laban said, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.” (Gen. 30: 28) Ummm… Raise your hand if you are suspicious of that offer!
Jacob asks for a reasonable payment for all that he has done. He asks to go through the flocks and take all the speckled or dark-colored lambs or goats. They will be his wages. That was logical, if you think about it. How would someone know if a certain lamb or goat belonged to Jacob or Laban? Easy. Spotted or dark – Jacob. Not spotted or dark – Laban. Laban agreed to the deal. But… That same day, Laban took all the spotted and dark goats and lambs and had his sons round them up and take them off. (Gen. 30: 35-36)
Jacob – not to be out bamboozled – took branches and peeled stripes in them, and placed the peeled branches in the watering troughs. The flocks that mated in front of the doctored watering troughs had young that were speckled or spotted. Jacob set those aside for himself. Every time the strongest and healthiest of the flocks came up to the trough, Jacob would put in the branches. Whenever the weak or sickly flocks came up to the trough, Jacob would pull the branches out. Results? A strong, healthy flock of dark or speckled sheep and goats for Jacob…and for Laban? Not so much.
Trouble was brewing. Laban’s sons were noticing the discrepancy in flocks, and so was Laban. Their attitude toward Jacob was souring, and Jacob was smart enough to see that. So, Jacob waited until Laban had gone away to shear the sheep, and he rounded up his wives and children and flocks and set off for Canaan land. When Laban realized what had happened, he rounded up the posse and chased Jacob down. And Laban asked, “Why did you deceive me?”
Reflection: Why is it easier to see someone else’s faults?
Action: Read Matthew 7: 1-5
Weird – “of strange or extraordinary character.”
Normal – “conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern”
- Merriam Webster
Seriously, Laban? Are you going to go there? An old saying comes to my mind when I think of the relationship between Jacob and his father-in-law/uncle, Laban: “the pot calling the kettle black.” We know that Jacob was a deceiver from the get-go, but really this seems to be a family trait. It was Laban who deceived Jacob with the wedding night switcheroo. Then Jacob had to work seven more years to get the wife he wanted in the first place – Rachel. That’s 14 years of labor on the family farm.
Rachel and Leah (and their servants, Bilhah and Zilpah) started having a bunch of children – Laban’s grandchildren…more sons to work on the family farm. Everything was going well. The flocks were increasing. Jacob went to Laban and said, “It’s time for me to be moving on. You know how much work I’ve done for you. Let me take my wives and children and just head out.” Laban said, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.” (Gen. 30: 28) Ummm… Raise your hand if you are suspicious of that offer!
Jacob asks for a reasonable payment for all that he has done. He asks to go through the flocks and take all the speckled or dark-colored lambs or goats. They will be his wages. That was logical, if you think about it. How would someone know if a certain lamb or goat belonged to Jacob or Laban? Easy. Spotted or dark – Jacob. Not spotted or dark – Laban. Laban agreed to the deal. But… That same day, Laban took all the spotted and dark goats and lambs and had his sons round them up and take them off. (Gen. 30: 35-36)
Jacob – not to be out bamboozled – took branches and peeled stripes in them, and placed the peeled branches in the watering troughs. The flocks that mated in front of the doctored watering troughs had young that were speckled or spotted. Jacob set those aside for himself. Every time the strongest and healthiest of the flocks came up to the trough, Jacob would put in the branches. Whenever the weak or sickly flocks came up to the trough, Jacob would pull the branches out. Results? A strong, healthy flock of dark or speckled sheep and goats for Jacob…and for Laban? Not so much.
Trouble was brewing. Laban’s sons were noticing the discrepancy in flocks, and so was Laban. Their attitude toward Jacob was souring, and Jacob was smart enough to see that. So, Jacob waited until Laban had gone away to shear the sheep, and he rounded up his wives and children and flocks and set off for Canaan land. When Laban realized what had happened, he rounded up the posse and chased Jacob down. And Laban asked, “Why did you deceive me?”
Reflection: Why is it easier to see someone else’s faults?
Action: Read Matthew 7: 1-5
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Lenten DevotionalsWeird is the New Normal: Day OneWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisDay 5: Weird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in GenesisWeird is the New Normal: Day SixWeird is the New Normal: Day SevenWeird is the New Normal: Day EightWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis Day NineWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis: Day TenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis, Day ElevenWeird is the New Normal: A Lenten Walk Through 40 Questions in Genesis, Day Twelve
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