Sunday, June 26, 2011

Unique on Purpose!

 The world is full of different types of people.  All different shapes and sizes.  I am thankful that every single person on this earth is unique! How boring would it be if we all had the same eye color, same hair color, and were all the same size and shape.  B-O-R-I-N-G!!  God made us all unique for a reason, right down to our fingerprints and the number of hairs on our head.  Sometimes, we would rather be a carbon copy of another person that we think is prettier or more popular than we are.  Especially women and girls!  We love to try and change something that we don't like about ourselves.  People also compete for attention. For example, it might be with friends, or a sibling; it could even be a certain group.  It is our human nature to want to get noticed and want to be liked and loved!

I am going to tell you a little story about a woman named Leah.  She was the daughter of Laban and had a younger sister named Rachel.  Now, the bible tells us that Rachel was beautiful and had everything going for her.  Leah was fair and had lazy eyes. Back then you could not make an appointment to go have your eyes checked, nor were there any glasses, so Leah had quite the time getting around.  One day, Rachel was out at the family well when a boy named Jacob approached the well and quickly fell in love with Leah's younger sister. He wanted to marry Rachel and would work for her father for 7 years so he could marry her.  Wow!  Rachel must be some woman!  Anyway, Rachel's father was a tricky, crooked man, so at the end of the 7 years he gave Leah to Jacob instead of Rachel.  You are probably thinking well, how did he trick him?  Jacob could clearly see that it was not Rachel he was marrying.  Well, just like there were not any eye appointments or glasses; there also wasn't any electricity.  So, it was dark when it came time for Jacob to take Rachel as his wife and when the sun rose the next day, Jacob was with Leah and not Rachel! Laban had tricked him!  Jacob asked why this was done to him and Laban said it was not custom to give away the youngest daughter before the oldest.  Laban said that he could marry Rachel too if he worked another 7 years for him.  Jacob worked another 7 years and finally married Rachel.  So, now Jacob has Leah and Rachel.  Leah was always in competition with Rachel for Jacob's attention and affection. Jacob pushed Leah aside and I am sure that made Leah feel unwanted.  Leah bore many sons for Jacob, and after every son, she thought surely this will make Jacob love me and want to be with me, but it didn't!  Finally, Leah decided to praise God for the sons she had bore and realized that it was more important to know God loves you and cares for you than it is to make sure everyone else does.  We can not control the way people feel about us.  I am sure Leah struggled with jealousy.  Leah decided not to let that bring her down.  She decided to thank God for what she had and even though Rachel still had the outer beauty, Leah had the inner beauty that continued to grow with each praise to God. 

Like, Leah you may also have rivals and compete with someone in your life.  You should always remember that God made you who you are and that He did it on PURPOSE! 

"God loves you because you're you. He sees and knows your heart and soul. Does he see Jesus in your life?"  (Real Girls of the Bible by Mona Hodgson)

If you would like you can read Leah's story in it's entirety in the Bible starting with Genesis 29:4-35. Also in chapters 30, 31, 33, 35 and 49.

Love in Christ,
Alicia

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