Two significant lessons grabbed us in Genesis 31. First, if you have the opportunity to change a bad situation, don’t remain a helpless victim. Change it! When Jacob realized that his situation in Laban’s house was getting bad quickly, rather than just accepting it, he called a family meeting with his wives Rachel and Leah. They all agreed that it was time to move!

Change is always risky, and it certainly was in this case for Rachel and Leah. They had never been away from their family and had no idea if where they were going would be better or worse than what they were leaving behind. Giving up the only home that they had ever known, and knowing that they would never come back, was a bold move! Rachel and Leah were courageous enough to make it.

Second, a tragedy was recorded in this portion of scripture, though we may not have noticed it. When Jacob, Rachel, and Leah ran away from Laban, Rachel stole her father’s idols and brought them with her. There is a reason that the first of the Ten Commandments is; “Though shall have no other gods before me”. Jehovah worship and idol worship are not compatible.

Idol worship would always be the weakness of the Hebrew nation, eventually costing them their nation and leading them into captivity. When Rachel brought her father’s idols into their home she may have done far more harm than she ever imagined to her family.

Psalm 101:3 says, “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.” This is for our own spiritual protection, but also for the protection of our family. Especially if we are parents, nothing that we do affects only us. Our children see and often copy our behavior. If Rachel had been able to see the pain that those idols would cause her children and grandchildren for countless generations, she likely would have left them behind. It’s too bad she didn’t.

First Corinthians 11:1 says, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” Our children are following our example, let’s give them a life that leads them straight to Jesus.

(For those who have missed any of the previous lessons, you can go to http://www.comethirstyministry.com/blog/ and view all previous postings.)

Week Seven

Day 1: Genesis 30:14-24 (Rachel and Leah)
Day 2: Genesis 30:25-43 (Rachel and Leah)
Day 3: Genesis 31:1-21 (Rachel and Leah)
Day 4: Genesis 31:22-42 (Rachel and Leah)
Day 5: Genesis 31:43-55 (Rachel and Leah)