Genesis 31:1-55

The relationship between Jacob and Laban was marked by deception and deceit.  In the end Jacob married both of Laban’s daughters and earned the large majority of his flocks.  It is inevitable that when people consider their own interests above that of the people around them, they will face conflict.

LABAN’S FAMILY IS JEALOUS: After several years of Jacob tending to the flocks it became obvious that flocks of Jacob were growing while Laban’s were getting smaller and growing weaker.  Laban and his sons could not help but feel that all of Jacob’s wealth was coming from them.  Jacob believed that God was blessing him while Laban’s family believed that Jacob was simply taking advantage of them.  For twenty years Jacob had worked with the flocks while it appears that Laban and his sons simply sat back and let him work.  Wealth without work will soon disappear.   Jacob was willing to work hard and because of that he increased in wealth.  Laban’s family seems content to just sit back and watch their wealth melt away until it became obvious that they would soon be destitute.  Laziness is addicting and snowballs with amazing velocity to create disasters.  No matter how much we may possess, a proper work ethic is essential to preserve that wealth.

JACOB’S FAMILY TAKES A JOURNEY: Jacob recognizes the broken relationship between Laban’s family and his own so he decides, with God’s direction, to return to the home of his fathers.  He informs his wife of his plans and they agree that it is time to leave since their own family has consumed all that they owned and Jacob had amassed great wealth.  In order to avoid the impending confrontation and conflict it is necessary to separate from one another.  Jacob’s wealth was not in land but in flocks that could be taken with him.  It was the wise choice to separate from one another to avoid invasion and further conflict.  Jacob’s leaving would accomplish two things.  First Jacob would return to the land of promise.  Second, Laban’s family would now be forced to take care of their own herds and begin to rebuild their wealth.  There are times when it is necessary to separate from one another.  However, there is a right way and a wrong way to do that.

LABAN AND JACOB BOTH THINK THEY ARE JUST: Jacob is leaving with his family which he has the right to do, the problem is that he did not say goodbye.  Laban feels that Jacob has taken off with all of his wealth and family and has stolen his idols on top of it all.  It is obvious the idolatry has taken its toll on Laban and his daughters.  Aparently Jacob has not had as big an effect as he should have had on his family.  Laban chases Jacob down and the confrontation does not go well, but they do have clear communication with one another and end up making an agreement.  Bitterness and disagreement can almost always be worked out through communication.  It would have been much better for Jacob and Laban to have sat down before the flight to come to this agreement, but it is important to recognize that they did work things out with God’s help to still Laban’s furry.  God is always faithful to protect His own even when we may fail.