The Leah We Are

A lot of times, singles look to some guy or girl they hope to have a relationship with and possibly be together forever and the guy or girl looks the other way not even noticing them. That very guy or girl is shadowing another babe or bloke he/she fancies isn't life funny. A lot of times, we want what we can't have, what is not right for us or what may do us harm.

This exact same thing happened to Leah Jacob, you know her? She's in our bible. Jacob's plan was to serve his 'dear' uncle for seven years in exchange for Rachel. It seemed a good plan between the two (Jacob and Laban) and he was so much in love that seven years seemed like a few days (Genesis 29: 18-22).

I can imagine how the guy must have felt working his butt of. He didn't forget her parents’ birthdays, her siblings birthdays, declared for her on her birthday and other special seasons since New Year, Christmas and Valentine’s Day are occasions that started centuries later. Imagine the adrenaline rush when he sees her. How he will work harder when he remembers she would be all his in a few days.

Then after the seven years, the moment he had been waiting for finally came and behold it was Leah presented to him.  If I were in his shoes, I would have shown instant rejection and a lot of anger. Insult will flow like water and murder might have even occurred. I'm sure I won't have listened to any explanation at all. I would have ensured that I got the buy one get one free bargain.

But Jacob's love was so great that he did not think twice and worked for another seven years for his bride (Genesis 29: 27). I am sure at this point, Leah must have felt very inadequate and with low self esteem and I doubt if there was intimacy between them since Leah started having children after Jacob married Rachel. To crown it all, everyone knew that he was crazy about the second wife who is her blood sister. Leah had her first child and called him Reuben meaning God has looked upon my affliction so my husband will love me (Genesis 29: 32). Then the second Simeon meaning the Lord has heard for that I was hated (Genesis 29: 33), then Levi meaning joined to. She was trying to tell her husband that guy, after all I'm your wife, please have affection for me(Genesis 29: 34). I doubt if that worked either because by the fourth son, she just surrendered to God calling him Judah meaning I will praise the Lord (Genesis 29:35). 

As singles, you try to very hard lose weight, dress nicely, smell sweet, apply the right make up, talk in a particular way, walk with the right people and do all the specific things for that one guy or girl you have a crush on to notice you. We get to a new place and we try so hard to adjust a hundred times for that guy or girl. It doesn't always work out that way. We must learn to surrender to God and walk in His counsel and I'm sure that Hebrews 10: 37 "For just a little longer and he who is coming will arrive and not delay"(NET).
I'm not saying don't develop yourself, all I mean is do it because you want to be a better person and not because you want some guy or girl to notice you. No one will ever value you more that you value yourself. Jacob's worth for Leah was no more than the value she and her family had placed on her.