Taking a Hit

Nov. 10

Read: Genesis 31:36-42

Stuck in a Crummy Job? Part 4

Why do we hang around at crummy jobs for so long? What is it that keeps a person “stuck”? Is it fear? Is it laziness? Have we been taught that it is somehow more “Christian” or noble just to hang around?

God will not leave his people “stuck” in crummy jobs forever. He is working to make a way forward for his children. All of us will have seasons where God calls us to endure… to persevere… to suffer and bare weight… but he does not leave us stranded there. Jacob is a prime example. For 20 years Jacob labored for Laban. For 20 years Laban took advantage of Jacob in one way or another. Jacob remained there until the Lord told him to go! Jacob’s years with Laban can teach us a lot. Here is day 4:

“Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban…These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. “ (v.36,38,39)

The people of God can take a hit because we know the Lord has our back:

Would you be willing to take a “loss” if you knew God had your back? Are you willing to “absorb” the “torn to pieces by wild animals” sort of shortfalls and hand over to someone else what is “healthy” and “in tact”? Jacob did this during his time working for Laban.

There comes a point in the discussion where Jacob becomes angry with the accusations of Laban. In his rebuke, we get this snapshot of the working environment;

“These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.” (v.38-41)

Jacob knew what it was like to be stolen from. Jacob knew what it was like to be under appreciated. Jacob knew what it was like to see someone else prosper and get the “wins” while he himself absorbed the “losses”. Jacob knew what it was like to go hungry, even though it would have been appropriate to eat food as a wage for his labor. (He “never ate a single ram of Laban’s” v.38) Jacob had spent plenty of time in tough working conditions… the “heat of the day” beating down on him. He was able to endure through it all… but how? How was he able to “bear the losses” time and time again?

The answer comes at the end of his rebuke:

“If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.” (v.42)

This is how Jacob endured:

1.) Jacob trusted God was “on his side”

God is a rewarder of those who seek him. (Heb. 11:6) If we do not trust God’s goodness, we will never be able to withstand the losses and attacks of bad bosses or wild animals!

2.) Jacob was banking on GOD making sure he didn’t leave “empty handed”

God is not going to leave you empty handed. He calls us not to worry. (cf. Matt 6:25-34) He is a “good Father” who gives good gifts. (cf. Luke 11:5-13) GOD will never leave you “empty handed” of what you truly NEED.

3.) Jacob was trusting that GOD saw his labor, and affliction, and that God would correct and rebuke on Jacob’s behalf.

God fights for Jacob. God protects him from Laban. God supernaturally shows up (in a dream) and warns Laban not to be aggressive towards Jacob. If you don’t trust GOD to fight for you, you will end up trying to fight for yourself. In the end, it will feel like you against the world. There is great wisdom and peace in Mose’s words to Israel: “be still and watch God fight for you.” (cf. Ex. 14:14) Paul would eventually go on to say, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12) Other humans are not actually our enemies… or those who we need to be “wrestling”. Jesus looked upon his attackers and declared, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) We are not called to fight for ourselves against others, but rather to trust God to fight for us.

Jesus is the ultimate example of “taking a loss” for the sake of someone else. Jesus is a “truer and better” picture of Jacob. We model Christ when we trust God and willingly take a hit. Jesus absorbed the loss of the “devouring wild animal” that is sin and death… and passed onto us the blessing of his life and righteousness! Jesus labored hard on behalf of all those whom the Father is calling to himself. Jesus enables us to do the same for others! When we lose sight of this we become greedy, bitter, and selfish…We pick fights…We attack others. Christ has shown us a “truer and better way”. The people of God do not pass losses onto someone else, but are willing to “take a hit” for the sake of others because they know in the end God will restore them and that God has their back! Love you guys… one more lesson to go from this exchange! - JDP