Scripture Daily

Context No. 1982 of 4322 · Genesis

Context · Reflection

Genesis 33:12-20: in context

12Esau said, “Let’s take our journey, and let’s go, and I will go before you.” 13Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die. 14Please let my lord pass over before his servant, and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the livestock that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord to Seir.” 15Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” He said, “Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17Jacob traveled to Succoth, built himself a house, and made shelters for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. 18Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped before the city. 19He bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. 20He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.

Reconciled at last with Esau, Jacob declines his brother's offer to travel together. My lord knows that the children are tender, he says, and that the flocks and herds have their young; if they are driven too hard for even one day, they will die. Let my lord go on ahead, and I will lead on gently, at the pace of the livestock and the pace of the children, until I come to you. Jacob will not overdrive the weak and the young; he leads gently, at the pace of the most vulnerable in his care.

Jacob's words reveal a wise and tender way of leading: at the pace of the weak. He would not drive the whole company at the pace Esau's men could travel, for the tender children and the nursing animals could not bear it; pushed too hard, they would fail. So he chose to lead gently, at the pace of the most vulnerable, the young children and the newborn flocks, adjusting the whole journey to the weakest, rather than forcing the weak to keep up with the strong. There is a model here for how we lead and care for others, and how we treat the vulnerable among us. It is easy to lead at the pace of the strong, to set a pace that suits the capable and drive everyone to keep up, leaving the weak, the struggling, the tender, to fail or be left behind. Jacob shows a gentler way: to go at the pace of the weakest, to consider the tender and the vulnerable, not to overdrive those who cannot keep up but to lead gently, adjusting to their limits rather than forcing them to ours. This is the way of a good shepherd. He will gently lead those who have their young, Isaiah says of the LORD; the good shepherd does not drive the flock beyond its strength but leads it gently, carrying the lambs, considering the weak. And Paul described his own care for the young in faith as that of a nursing mother, gentle among them, going at their pace. Whether we lead a family, a community, a team, or simply have others in our care, the call is to lead as Jacob led, at the pace of the weak, considering the tender and the vulnerable, not overdriving those who cannot keep up with the strong but going gently, patiently, adjusting to their limits. To force the weak to keep the pace of the strong is to break them; to lead gently at their pace, considering the vulnerable, is the way of care that Jacob showed and that reflects the gentle leading of God. He would not overdrive the tender children and the young flocks; and the way of gentle leadership, going at the pace of the weak rather than driving them beyond their strength, is the way of those who care for others as God cares for us.

In leading or caring for others, do I set the pace of the strong and drive everyone to keep up, leaving the weak, the struggling, and the tender to fail or be left behind, or can I lead as Jacob led, gently, at the pace of the most vulnerable, considering the weak and not overdriving those who cannot keep up, reflecting the gentle leading of the God who carries the lambs?

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