Choosing God Instead of the World - Learning From the Lives of Jacob and JosephSample

Read: Genesis 30:25–43; Proverbs 3:1–12

SOAP: Proverbs 3:9–10

Honor the Lᴏʀᴅ from your wealth and from the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled completely, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Into the text

Genesis 29 and 30 are a record of Jacob’s prosperity; first, his family was enlarged by many children, then his possessions increased, specifically his flocks of sheep and goats. God had promised to bless Jacob and make him great (Genesis 28:13–15), and these events were evidence of God keeping His promise.

In their typical fashion, Jacob and Laban found another opportunity to deceive one another. Both Laban and Jacob recognized the great success that had come to Laban while Jacob worked for him. Now, it was time for Jacob to receive his earnings. In the first act of deception, Laban removed the streaked and spotted sheep and goats from his flocks, making it impossible for Jacob to receive his payment.

Next, Jacob used his own methods to ensure that there were many streaked and spotted sheep and goats in the flocks, especially strong and healthy ones. Whether it was in response to Laban’s actions or whether it had been his plan all along, we’re not sure. As readers, we wonder if Jacob and Laban’s continued deception of one another would ever end! But what is clear is that Jacob prospered even in the midst of Laban’s deception.

Jacob recognized the growth of his flocks as God’s blessing (Genesis 31:9). Even though he had been deceived and even though he had practiced deceit himself, God blessed Jacob and increased his possessions. It was not Jacob’s craftiness that made him prosper but God’s gracious blessing. We will never need to resort to sinful methods to receive God’s good gifts. Yet even though Jacob wasn’t perfect, God worked on his behalf. God brought justice for Laban’s deceit by allowing Jacob to prosper. God overruled both Laban’s and Jacob’s devices to work out His plan to bless Jacob and his descendants.

Though he relied on his own devices at first, Jacob later recognized his prosperity as God’s blessing. When we prosper in our lives, in whatever form, do we recognize it as God’s blessing or as our own success? Self-reliance will harm our faith. When we rely on ourselves for deliverance, blessing, and prosperity, we remove the honor from God that He alone deserves. Choosing the way of God means trusting Him enough to obey Him even when our plans seem like the more reliable option. True blessing can only come from God, and we are called to trust Him for it, no matter what.