Genesis 30:37-43: a reflection

37Jacob took to himself rods of fresh poplar, almond, and plane tree, peeled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. 38He set the rods which he had peeled opposite the flocks in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. They conceived when they came to drink. 39The flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks produced streaked, speckled, and spotted. 40Jacob separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and all the black in Laban’s flock. He put his own droves apart, and didn’t put them into Laban’s flock. 41Whenever the stronger of the flock conceived, Jacob laid the rods in front of the eyes of the flock in the watering troughs, that they might conceive among the rods; 42but when the flock were feeble, he didn’t put them in. So the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. 43The man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

In a working arrangement where his uncle Laban had repeatedly cheated him, Jacob prospers greatly; and though the account describes his schemes, the deeper truth, made plain in what follows, is that it was God who prospered and provided for him. The man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, the account says, and servants and camels and donkeys. Jacob had been treated unfairly by Laban, his wages changed again and again; yet in the midst of this raw deal, he prospered, his flocks increasing greatly. Though Jacob resorted to his own devices, it was God, as the next chapter reveals, who took Laban's livestock and gave them to Jacob, prospering and providing for him even in a situation where he was being wronged. This shows that God prospers and provides for his own even when others treat them unfairly. God provides for his own even when they are treated unfairly. The increase is God's doing, not our own scheming. God can bless you even in a situation where you are being wronged. Trust God to provide, even when others deal with you unjustly.

Notice what really lay behind Jacob's prospering. Jacob was in a hard situation: working for Laban, who had cheated him repeatedly, changing his wages again and again, dealing with him unfairly. And yet Jacob prospered greatly, his flocks and possessions increasing. The account describes Jacob's own schemes; but the deeper truth, made plain in the chapter that follows, is that it was God who prospered him, God who took Laban's livestock and gave it to Jacob, providing for him and blessing him even in the midst of being wronged. It was not finally Jacob's scheming, but God's blessing, that made him increase. This holds an encouragement for us when we are treated unfairly. We can find ourselves in situations where we are wronged, cheated, dealt with unjustly, our due changed or withheld. In such situations, it can seem that our prospering depends on our own devices, on out-maneuvering those who wrong us. But God is able to prosper and provide for his own even in the midst of being wronged; the increase, when it comes, is finally his doing, not our scheming. We can trust God to provide for us and care for us even when others treat us unfairly, rather than relying only on our own devices to secure our due. We do well to trust God to provide, even in a situation where we are being wronged, remembering that the increase is his doing. Trust God to provide for you even when others treat you unfairly. The increase, when it comes, is God's doing, not your scheming. God can bless and provide for his own in the midst of being wronged. Do not rely only on your own devices; trust God to care for you.

That is worth resting in, for God prospers and provides for his own even when they are treated unfairly, and the increase is his doing, as it was God who prospered Jacob under Laban's unjust dealing. When we are wronged and cheated, we can think our prospering depends on out-maneuvering those who wrong us; but it was God who took Laban's livestock and gave it to Jacob, providing for him. God provides. When you are treated unfairly, do not rely only on your own devices; trust God to provide for you and care for you, as he prospered Jacob even in the midst of being wronged. Trust God to provide for you and care for you even when others treat you unfairly, remembering that the increase is his doing and not your own scheming, as in a working arrangement where his uncle Laban had repeatedly cheated him Jacob prospered greatly, and though the account describes his schemes the deeper truth made plain in what follows is that it was God who prospered and provided for him, so that the man increased exceedingly and had large flocks and servants; for Jacob had been treated unfairly by Laban, his wages changed again and again, yet in the midst of this raw deal he prospered, his flocks increasing greatly, and though he resorted to his own devices it was God, as the next chapter reveals, who took Laban's livestock and gave them to Jacob, prospering and providing for him even in a situation where he was being wronged, which holds an encouragement for us when we are treated unfairly, since we can find ourselves in situations where we are wronged, cheated, and dealt with unjustly, our due changed or withheld, and it can seem our prospering depends on our own devices and on out-maneuvering those who wrong us, but God is able to prosper and provide for his own even in the midst of being wronged, the increase when it comes being finally his doing and not our scheming, so that we can trust God to provide for us and care for us even when others treat us unfairly rather than relying only on our own devices, and we do well to trust God to provide even in a situation where we are being wronged.

Lord, in a working arrangement where his uncle Laban had repeatedly cheated him, Jacob prospers greatly; and though the account describes his schemes, the deeper truth, made plain in what follows, is that it was you who prospered and provided for him. The man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, the account says, and servants and camels and donkeys. Jacob had been treated unfairly by Laban, his wages changed again and again; yet in the midst of this raw deal, he prospered. Though Jacob resorted to his own devices, it was you, as the next chapter reveals, who took Laban's livestock and gave them to Jacob, prospering and providing for him even in a situation where he was being wronged. Show me what really lay behind Jacob's prospering. Jacob was in a hard situation: working for Laban, who had cheated him repeatedly, dealing with him unfairly. And yet Jacob prospered greatly. The account describes his own schemes; but the deeper truth, made plain in the chapter that follows, is that it was you who prospered him, you who took Laban's livestock and gave it to Jacob, providing for him even in the midst of being wronged. It was not finally Jacob's scheming, but your blessing, that made him increase. This holds an encouragement for me when I am treated unfairly. I can find myself in situations where I am wronged, cheated, dealt with unjustly. In such situations, it can seem that my prospering depends on my own devices, on out-maneuvering those who wrong me. But you are able to prosper and provide for your own even in the midst of being wronged; the increase, when it comes, is finally your doing. Take that to my heart. When I am treated unfairly, keep me from relying only on my own devices; help me trust you to provide for me and care for me, Lord, even in a situation where I am being wronged, remembering that the increase is your doing and not my own scheming.