Discord or Love

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

DISCORD OR LOVE

Gen 30:9-21

9 When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her maidservant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, "What good fortune!" So she named him Gad. 12 Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, "How happy I am! The women will call me happy." So she named him Asher. 14 During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." 15 But she said to her, "Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son's mandrakes too?" "Very well," Rachel said, "he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes." 16 So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. "You must sleep with me," she said. "I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he slept with her that night. 17 God listened to Leah, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, "God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband." So she named him Issachar.   19 Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, "God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne him six sons." So she named him Zebulun.  21 Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

NIV

Again, there is another example of this dysfunctional family, a feud between the sisters, and it reared its ugly head over mandrakes. Then there is another maidservant who has to go lay with Jacob as commanded by her lady. So now we have Gad and Asher added to the sons of Jacob. After the bargain was struck, which reminds us of the bargain made between Esau and Jacob, over a cup of stew. Nevertheless, Issachar and Zebulun are now added to the sons of Jacob which now is ten in all. We cannot forget Dinah, for she is going to play a part later. Once again, what is there for us to learn? We think we should ponder on family matters, as we keep coming across another example of unkindness, and ill feelings. These are sisters who should be “Thicker than thieves”, as the expression goes. So we can look at our personal families and ask, how are we doing. Do we have a favorite son or daughter? Do we love each one the same, and are our children, “Thick as thieves”. Of course, we men only should have one wife, whom we love more than our own lives. But what about the family of God? What about the harmony or discord that could exist in the church? Certainly, we find a certain amount of discord based on denominational lines. However, what about just looking at the local church, the family that worships together? How are we doing? Some of us have always been a part of one local church, or at least for many years. Others of us have needed to be in several churches over the years. It seems some are better suited to living in discord while some seem more harmonious. We know the key is being obedient to the word of God about loving our neighbors as ourselves. This would include each and every other believer we worship with each Sunday. Maybe the size of the church matters. In those mega-churches, no one knows every believer, including the pastor. We also have those small churches, some struggling to keep the doors open. We would think they all are very familiar with each other and perhaps know more about each other than they should, for that too can cause some sparks, or if a spark occurs, the whole church is affected. Again, we know the answer to all situations, and that is wrapped up in the concept of loving each other, forgiving each other, overlooking any possible offensives, or trying not to offend another, along with a host of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors included in loving each other. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love covers it all. Let us consider how we can love which leads to harmony, rather than our self-driven agendas, which can lead to discord. Leah and Rachel lived in discord. We have the choice to live in discord or love.