You Can't Be Friends With Everybody
One of the things Christians have to realize is that although we are called to love even our enemies, not everyone is someone who will be our friend. We will not be able to be "liked" or appreciated by a lot of people. This has been the record of the Bible since Abel spilled his blood.
Genesis 31 begins with an attitude that Laban has for Jacob and ends with an official accord for them to go their separate ways. Jacob learned, there are times to walk away.
Genesis 31:2–3 (ESV) And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
There are a number of factors that lead to this disassociation.
1. Though Jacob's presence only prospered Laban, Laban eventually resented him.
2. Even Jacob's wives (daughters of Laban) saw their father's greed realizing they were given no inheritance and in basically sold (as slaved) to Jacob for his labor.
3. God spoke clearly to him.
Notice the harmony between circumstances and Divine direction. It's a dynamic we can appreciate. God rarely speaks from the clouds about the details. Actually, He never does. But notice how the circumstances lead to Jacob hearing God say move. What's the message? God can and will use circumstances to enhance His speaking into your life. Are you listening?
Jacob does leave and Laban chases him down. Even though he no longer appreciated Jacob, he wasn't about to be okay with his departure. Laben even lies and manipulates the situation on Jacob. He claims the daughters he "sold" to him are still his, which is ironic as even they do not feel the same.
Genesis 31:43 (ESV) Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne?
In this sentence Laban disregards every agreement he made with Jacob. Laban was one of a kind.
But Laban was used to shape Jacob. This is for certain. Jacob came to Laban brash and young, fresh off his own manipulative tactics to get ahead. When the shoe was on the other foot, Jacob grew up and also drew more dependent on God. And no matter what Jacob did, Laban would not relent from being who he was.
Jacob had to learn what we often fail to learn. He had to learn to let some relationships die. He had to learn to permanently close a door with someone because some people are just going to drain you. God moved in his life to close this door. It ended up being a very good thing. This the last we hear of Laban, who functions as a type of those who never respect God or His people but always live for themselves, and Jacob goes home. Because of Laban, Jacob has grown wiser and far more trusting of the Father for his future.
There will be many chapters in your life that God will shut. Take their lessons and move on.
Not everyone has to be your friend.
Genesis 31 begins with an attitude that Laban has for Jacob and ends with an official accord for them to go their separate ways. Jacob learned, there are times to walk away.
Genesis 31:2–3 (ESV) And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
There are a number of factors that lead to this disassociation.
1. Though Jacob's presence only prospered Laban, Laban eventually resented him.
2. Even Jacob's wives (daughters of Laban) saw their father's greed realizing they were given no inheritance and in basically sold (as slaved) to Jacob for his labor.
3. God spoke clearly to him.
Notice the harmony between circumstances and Divine direction. It's a dynamic we can appreciate. God rarely speaks from the clouds about the details. Actually, He never does. But notice how the circumstances lead to Jacob hearing God say move. What's the message? God can and will use circumstances to enhance His speaking into your life. Are you listening?
Jacob does leave and Laban chases him down. Even though he no longer appreciated Jacob, he wasn't about to be okay with his departure. Laben even lies and manipulates the situation on Jacob. He claims the daughters he "sold" to him are still his, which is ironic as even they do not feel the same.
Genesis 31:43 (ESV) Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne?
In this sentence Laban disregards every agreement he made with Jacob. Laban was one of a kind.
But Laban was used to shape Jacob. This is for certain. Jacob came to Laban brash and young, fresh off his own manipulative tactics to get ahead. When the shoe was on the other foot, Jacob grew up and also drew more dependent on God. And no matter what Jacob did, Laban would not relent from being who he was.
Jacob had to learn what we often fail to learn. He had to learn to let some relationships die. He had to learn to permanently close a door with someone because some people are just going to drain you. God moved in his life to close this door. It ended up being a very good thing. This the last we hear of Laban, who functions as a type of those who never respect God or His people but always live for themselves, and Jacob goes home. Because of Laban, Jacob has grown wiser and far more trusting of the Father for his future.
There will be many chapters in your life that God will shut. Take their lessons and move on.
Not everyone has to be your friend.
Comments
Post a Comment