“During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, ‘Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.’ But she said to her, ‘Wasn’t it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?’ ‘Very well,’ Rachel said, ‘he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.’” Genesis 30:14-15 (NIV)
These verses show a bitter battle between two sisters. There was probably a time when they were close, but many of us have seen how a man can come between two women.
Leah is the older of the two sisters. Although custom dictated that Jacob marry Leah first, his heart belonged to Rachel from the moment that he first saw her.
Years later, even after Leah has given birth to numerous sons for Jacob, she knows that there is nothing that she will ever be able to do to win Jacob over.
Leah is bitter toward her sister because she feels that it is Rachel’s fault that she feels so unloved. As a result, she is unwilling to share the mandrakes that Rachel asked for.
Leah’s actions can teach us two lessons about giving.
A vengeful heart can keep us from giving.
Leah despises Jacob’s intense love for Rachel. But Rachel really has no control over who Jacob loves. Rather than realize this, Leah allows years and years of bitterness to create a wall around her heart that keeps her from maintaining a loving relationship with her sister.
Although it is not clear from the text, Leah’s anger has probably had an impact on many of her family members. There have probably been times when Leah has misdirected her anger toward her children, her husband, and maybe even others with whom she comes in contact.
Many of us can relate to Leah’s anger. It can be hard to separate our current feelings toward one situation from the rest of life’s situations that are still happening around us.
Then, when we are expected to be nice toward the one that caused the anger, it can feel like mission impossible. But Jesus told us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Further, we are to love our enemies and pray for them.
No matter how angry or hurt we feel, we cannot become vengeful. We cannot let our anger keep us from maintaining a giving heart.
God gives to us so that we can give to others.
Our stewardship extends beyond our financial resources. It goes beyond tithes and offerings. God has blessed us so that we can be a blessing to others.
Leah refused Rachel when Rachel asked for mandrakes. Are we also refusing God’s children when they come to us for help?
It may not be a financial need. We may be asked to provide food, temporary shelter, or transportation. We may be asked to lend a hand and share our time. We may simply be asked to listen to someone who wants to know that someone cares about them.
As Christians, we should empty ourselves of ourselves so that we are available to God. We have to be willing to allow God to use us to reach His lost children. We never know when that one random act of kindness will change a life. Changing one life can have a domino effect that can change thousands and thousands of lives.
While we may feel small in this vast world, God can use us to do big things – if we let Him. Let’s pray for the strength to allow God to transform our angry hearts into giving hearts.
