THE service at Crediton Methodist Church on Sunday, July 30 was led by Rev Alison Richardson with the theme of “Families”.

The call to worship reminded us that all Christians should live in peace and harmony with each other as the family of God. 

Alison spoke about some television soap operas whose story lines although fictional are in some way true to life families and friends at war with each other, there are lies, deceit, jealousy and, even, murder at times.

In the story of Jacob, Leah and Rachel there is deceit, jealousy and manipulation for financial gain which affects their descendants and their families’ lives. This story is a good reminder of just how different Old Testament culture and traditions are to our own.

Jacob had left home under horrible circumstances having stolen his brother’s birthright.  He hoped to settle back east with his uncle Laban. 

He meets and falls in love with a beautiful young woman called Rachel who he later finds out to be Laban’s youngest daughter.

The groom and bride’s father start a marriage agreement solemnised by an oath and the exchange of goods or valuables. 

As well as finance, economics and sustainability were vitally important and seen as strengthening families - a very important tradition.

Jacob agreed to work for Laban for seven years in order to marry Rachel, but on the wedding night, Jacob was drunk and Leah, Laban’s older daughter, slips beneath the blanket and deceives him into believing she was Rachel.

Obviously when he finds out, Jacob is furious and blames Laban for the deception.  

Rachel and Leah both live with Jacob in an intimate relationship but, at first, only Leah bears children. 

Further in Genesis it is suggested that Leah got pregnant right away because she is unloved – because she has a sight impairment and is not as attractive as her sister Rachel.  

Leah has seven children before Rachel has any. 

Rachel and Leah gradually become rivals and as Leah was rejected by Jacob initially she must have been jealous of Rachel. 

Jealousy is an ugly emotion and something we all can, unfortunately, relate to. Jealousy can creep into any situation and does not just affect one type of person more than another.

Rachel experienced jealousy and anger. Although she was beautiful and easy on the eye, her beauty was skin deep and an ugliness grows inside her as her jealousy grows.

In this story we see how God worked His will through this family to bring about His will as their sons eventually make up the 12 tribes of Israel.

Jacob gathered a large amount of property and he then set out with his wives and children to return to Palestine, eventually meeting Esau which whom he was reconciled and settled in Canaan.

Alison asked us to consider the present as we live now. What lessons can we learn from this ancient story?  

We learn that families are complicated, they do not always get on. Families are often broken and fragmented and that jealousy is a horrible emotion and has consequences. Rachel was beautiful – Leah was not. 

Alison asked are looks important to us? We do care about our appearance – but not in the extreme - looks are in the celebrity world where plastic surgery is common. 

Our beauty should not come from outward adornment such as jewellery or fine clothes it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

What God sees as greater worth to the kingdom is not the outward beauty but the heart within. 

God makes no mistakes and although our human eyes will find pleasure in one person more than another, outer attractiveness is not as important as inward attractiveness.

God’s plan for our lives is not an easy ride and we are not promised a pain-free life, but what we are given is so much more. 

God’s love for us is not earthly but divine and we must have the desire to use our lives for His glory.  This is the greatest love story of all time, past, present and future.

  Bronwyn Nott