Voiceless
25 When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?" 26 Laban said, "This is not done in our country--giving the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years." 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. (Genesis 29:25-28)
Jacob had made an agreement to work for his uncle, Laban, for seven years in order to marry Laban's younger daughter, Rachel. After completing the seven years of labor, the wedding feast was arranged. But Laban decided to have his older daughter, Leah, be wedded to Jacob instead of Rachel. It would have been customary for the bride to be veiled until the couple were alone. The biblical recounting of this family drama suggests that Jacob made no acknowledgement or protest of the switch until the morning after the marriage was consummated. We are left to wonder if the sisters were in on the plan, if they were hurt to be treated with so little regard, or if they had any thoughts or feelings at all. As is the case with most biblical stories, this one is told with the men at the center - everyone else is just a supporting character. Sadly, this is reflective of the time period, so the women likely had no agency nor did they even have the expectation that their thoughts and feelings would be considered.
While we all know and appreciate that our lives are in God’s hands, some unfortunately also know what it’s like to be at the mercy of others even today. Those who have physical or mental disabilities, those who lack financial resources, those who's age causes them to be seen as having diminished capacity (rather too young or too old), all often have no power to determine the direction of their lives - even the most important decisions may be in the hands and in the best interest of someone else. May God help us to actively seek to hear the needs and desires of the voiceless - valuing those who are close to the heart of God.
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)
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