Agreements true or False

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

AGREEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE

Gen 34:18-24

18 Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem. 19 The young man, who was the most honored of all his father's household, lost no time in doing what they said, because he was delighted with Jacob's daughter. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city to speak to their fellow townsmen. 21 "These men are friendly toward us," they said. "Let them live in our land and trade in it; the land has plenty of room for them. We can marry their daughters and they can marry ours. 22 But the men will consent to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised, as they themselves are. 23 Won't their livestock, their property and all their other animals become ours? So let us give our consent to them, and they will settle among us." 24 All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.

We see that Hamor and Shechem are being deceptive in accepting the proposal of the sons of Jacob, whose proposal was one of deceit. Neither of them are dealing honestly with this proposal. The Sons had a plan knowing that circumcision of an adult male is extremely painful, and all the men of the city would be unable to defend their town or their lives. Hamor and Shechem saw this as an opportunity to absorb or steal all the property of Jacob and his sons, at least that is what they told all the men of the city. In essence, everyone was looking out for their best interests to see their plans being fulfilled. This could be our lesson as to how we live in a culture that seems not much different from what we see happen in the culture of Hamor and Shechem. We think most people in our culture have grown up learning about making plans for their lives, and getting the right education while being trained by the educational system to think about how they can succeed in life, and what they need to accomplish their own goals and ambitions. Phrases like, “It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there” or “be self-reliant” or “be a self-starter if you want to get ahead” seem to be popular in our culture, In essence, most people are looking out for their own interests. However, in the church, in the body of Christ, in the community of faith, followers of Jesus know differently. We know it is better because we have learned from Jesus to love one another and to think of the interests of others as well as our own. Paul talks about that in his letter to the Philippians, but Jesus taught that he did not come to be served by to serve, in other words, he put our interests before his own, laying down his life and taking it back up for our interests, so we could have eternal life. We do not think Jesus expects us to lay our lives down for others, although all those who served in the armed forces, and especially those who lost their lives, gave up their own interests for others, unless their making a career in the military was for their own benefit. However, the point is that we are to serve each other, looking to benefit each other in some way. As we follow the plan of God for our lives, we should see how God has placed us where we can serve others. We do not think that we should be so self-seeking, self-concerned, or self-centered that everything we do for ourselves in one way or another. Our first priority is to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. When, if, we do that God will add whatever we need in this world, even if we do not run after it like the pagans do. But we cannot run after God just for the stuff he will give us, that too would be self-centered, like Hamor and Shechem's thinking was deceptive wanting to gain all that was Jacobs, by agreeing to follow their custom of circumcision, as was the son’s of Jacob making a deceptive agreement with them.  It is always best to simply follow Jesus, and live in true agreement with Him.