You know that I've worked for your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. – Genesis 31:6-7

Today's Scripture Reading (August 29, 2021): Genesis 31

We tend to put our actions in the best light possible while treating those who oppose us as if they were evil incarnate. This phenomenon might be best revealed in our political relationships. If you are a conservative, you almost by definition consider those with a liberal political viewpoint to be wrong and often evil. But don't worry, the liberals believe the same about you. As a result, we divide into smaller and smaller echo chambers, only hearing those we agree with and ridiculing the increasing number of people we have written off. And this division colors almost every aspect of our lives. It is one of the biggest problems in our contemporary society, with every side firmly believing that they are right and the other side is wrong.

I admit I share more in common with conservatives than I do with liberals. But I also acknowledge that ideas have arisen with those on the left that I find intriguing and worth investigating. I would especially like to see whether some of these ideas can be made economically feasible. But I also know that the other side is not evil; they just see life from a different perspective. And sometimes, getting a different perspective can be a good thing.

It is time for Jacob to go home. And so, he makes the argument to his wives. The move is necessary because Jacob has worked hard, but Laban has insisted on cheating him, constantly changing his wages so that he could get the best of Jacob. Was that the truth? Yes, at least there is an element of truth in the comment. But there is also another side to the story. Jacob came into his relationship with Laban with deceptions of his own. Jacob's name is an allusion to how he came into the world, grasping the heel of his brother. And grasping the heel was an image of deception.

Laban had deceived Jacob, but Jacob had also deceived Laban, as well as many other people in his life. Jacob was not a perfect individual. And yet, he was also correct. God had protected him and blessed him. God had called him to do something more and better. All of this had nothing to do with how hard Jacob had worked or how good Jacob thought he might be. God had protected Jacob despite all the things that Jacob had done.

God's protection of Jacob is also good news for us. Because although we are imperfect, God is willing to work through us as well. Jacob's story is our story if we are willing to confront our lives honestly. It doesn't matter which side of the political aisle we call home. Sometimes we are correct, and sometimes we miss the mark. But, in the end, God is always on our side, just as he was with Jacob.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Genesis 32