Genesis 31:36-42 – Do what we can; leave God to do what we cannot

Laban went through the tents of each of Jacob’s family members looking for his lost idols. His inability to find his lost idols made Jacob boiled over. Jacob felt that his uncle had made up a poor lame excuse just to ransack his property. He, of course, was unaware that Rachel had actually stolen her father’s idols. Remember he worked 14 years for Leah and Rachel and then another six for the flocks. In those 20 years, Laban had changed his wages 10 times. Though gentle by nature, the thought of how he was ill-treated made Jacob explosive. He turned angry and aggressive and berated his uncle. His negative emotion towards his uncle were essentially a pent-up emotion of 20 years. In those years he felt badly treated.

Jacob was a hard working person. He worked diligently, discharging and fulfilling the conditions set by Laban. He did not shrink from his assignments. For twenty years the female sheep and goats of Laban had never suffered a miscarriage. Jacob was able to account for the number of animals Laban had. He bore all the losses whether his sheep or goat was attacked by a beast or stolen. In the process of looking after his flock he was also succumbed to all kinds of weather condition – burning heat by day and frost-bite by night. Responsibly, Jacob had spent many sleepless nights looking after his uncle’s flock. Here’s a lesson on faithful stewardship. Like him, we must be faithful to the tasks assigned us by our bosses. Regardless of how they treat us, God will never short-change us. We need to do our best leaving God to do the rewarding. We do what we can and leave God to do what we cannot.

Though Jacob started off as a conniver, God’s transforming work took place in his life since that dream he had at Bethel. We see the progressive change of his perspective. Verse 42 shows that he had indeed come to accept God’s hand in his life. Jacob was sure that, “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed.” He added that “God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.”  He alluded to God for the favour he had experienced. The Lord not only prospered him but also protected him. He had showered His goodness upon him and made sure that he would not be taken advantage of. He gratefully acknowledged that it was God all the way. Like Jacob, by His grace we shall triumph. Like him, we need to do our best and leave God to do what only He can do – to prosper us.  When all is said and done, the question is: have we done our best for Him? God deserves our best.