Getting used to the idea of not being liked is difficult if you happen to be a person that cares what people think. But as you know Sometimes, “When God Says GO the World Says NO.”
Look at Genesis 31 tonight and we’ll catch a glimpse of what Jacob went through as he began to follow God’s leading.
The First lesson we learn in this text is that…
1 The World will not appreciate God’s work in our lives.
NIV Genesis 31:1-2 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, "Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father." And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.
Now Laban’s sons begin to accuse Jacob and Laban himself didn’t think too fondly of Jacob. When you get into the root cause of their unhappiness it boils down to God’s hand being on Jacob but not on Laban. Apparently they both felt Jacob was being underhanded though in fact it was Laban who was being underhanded as is evidenced by the way Laban had changed Jacob’s wages 10 times in the past 6 years.
The Sons of Laban are a “type” of the sons of Satan, the people of the world have no knowledge of God, and are incapable of recognizing the work of a God they don’t accept or believe in. Even Laban won’t confess it when the opportunity is given to him. His own greed and spite has trained his sons to act like himself.
While we do enjoy the blessing of forgiveness and a promise of a future home, we’re not likely to enjoy the blessing of people outside of the covenant liking us. We don’t belong to this world. And when our lives are in tune with God we will incur the displeasure of people who do belong here.
But along the way…
2 God will provide his protection (presence, provision) as we obey.
Finally, in the third verse God speaks and begins again to actively direct Jacob’s life; it’s not as if God has been inactive though - for Jacob will reveal from his telling of the dream that God has been actively working in Jacob for the last 6 years to increase his flocks. Now God tells him to come home by renewing the covenant promise "I will be with you."
Let me pause for just a second on that. The fact that God has been working in Jacob’s life for the last 20 years is significant for us because sometimes we’re prone to only looking FORWARD to what God is going to do someday – whether that means in a few years or in heaven – but we have to ensure that we don’t fail to consider what God is doing TODAY!
The promise that God will be with him is rooted in God having been with him all this time. In addition, it’s perhaps the first tinge of the LORD beginning to reassure Jacob that upon his return home Esau will not kill him.
So Jacob looks around and takes stock of the situation he’s in and the command of God and he calls his wives to him in order to share the news. But part of what he says to them is what catches my eye look at this from VV 4-6.
First he finally begins to confess God has been at the root of all the blessing. This is a point of transformation and maturing for Jacob he is learning that to rely upon himself is not going to deliver him but that instead as he relies upon God he will be delivered.
But the sixth verse is really, what catches my eye.
NIV Genesis 31:6 You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength,
Now I happen to believe that Jacob’s telling the truth and that he’s on to something that helps us to find a little balance. You’ve heard of people who were “So heavenly minded they were no earthly good”? Well Jacob didn’t match up to that.
By working hard, he managed to fill in the gap and make an impact. When God says, “Go” we ought to add another application for Monday morning so that our behavior will not in some way destroy or malign the name of Jesus Christ. In fact if we want to take the third commandment found in Exodus 20:7 to it’s furthest degree; the act of taking the name of God in vain means more than using it as part of a swear word. But that if I am a believer and the world has marked me as a believer -- and then if my behavior as an ambassador of Christ is unfitting to that title -- in fact if my life is an exhibition of "unchristlikeness" than am I not by practice Taking the name of the Lord in vain? I think so.
So the third application ought to be:
3 Make certain your lives exhibit Christ.
The text of the passage specifically mentions work; so the direct application is that we ought to work for our employer with all our heart. But is there an application for the rest of life? Yes there is. The principle is to live your life in such a way that NO-ONE would be able to say a negative word about Jesus.
Let me give you another application of giving your whole heart. And this one bothers me in particular.
Today when you went out to lunch how much did you tip the waitress? Do you know that nearly universally waitresses hate Sunday because of the noon rush? Not because it’s busy and not because the seats are all full of well dressed laughing people - many of them clearly wearing church clothes. But primarily because the Sunday noon crowd is typically very bossy - demanding - disrespectful and then has the nerve to leave a tract or an invitation to church on the table next to a $1.00 tip for a $30 meal!
Regarding this one waitress by the name of Rubye F said, “I have been a waitress for many years, and I have had many prayer cards left as a tip by the Sunday church crowd. That will not pay the rent. We need cash for the bills we owe!”
Another waitress named Dorris actually rejoiced when she got a promotion off of Sundays.
“Thank goodness I don’t have to endure that church crowd anymore. We have a nickname for them around here - God’s Tightwads… It’s like, the longer and louder they say grace, the less tip you can expect. Everybody knows it. It’s infuriating. The worst is when they leave you a tract instead. One flocking member even left funny money with some ’plan of salvation’ on it. Thanks. I’m sure Kroger’s redeems those for bread and milk. And if they don’t, I’ll just pray the sinner’s prayer until my hunger pains subside.”
Dorris’ experience is echoed by research by George Barna saying that only 1 out of every 10 Christians leaves a tip of 15% or more.
We have maligned the name of Christ and called it frugality! God have mercy! How does your daily walk reflect Jesus to those around you?
We need to remember that obedience to God means loving our neighbor, and maybe that means Christians should be known as extravagant tippers, excellent workers, and preferred friends and neighbors.
Through the rest of the text starting with verse 7 Jacob begins to acknowledge God. (as in verse 5) but now as more than a mere blessing, but the source of security as well. I think a fourth principle can be learned here but we have to be careful with it. Because God hasn’t always sworn to prevent problems in our lives, but this example helps us to understand that…
4 Every good thing that comes is not serendipity or casual luck - but is solely from God’s hand.
Jacob had the chance to learn through the years that God was in control, and it was a long journey for him. In fact you’ll note that the journey isn’t over - even as it’s not over for us.
Tomorrow we’ll need to be taught another lesson and God will have to work in our heart again.
I don’t know if you’re in the habit of taking life way to seriously or not, but maybe, just maybe it’s time to start relaxing and thanking God for everything He has given you.
In fact let’s redirect our focus again and reset our compass with the needle pointing to God. As we set out to be obedient to Him tomorrow – people aren’t going to like us just because we’re supposed to be following God. But as God protects and as God provides let’s make sure people don’t have a chance to hate God because WE are claiming to follow him.
