LIFE SCRIPTS

1 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” 2 Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” 3 Then she said, “Here is Bilhah, my servant. Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.” 4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob slept with her, 5 and she became pregnant and bore him a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; he has listened to my plea and given me a son.” Because of this she named him Dan. 7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” So she named him Naphtali. 9 When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!” So she named him Gad. 12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher.
Genesis 30:1‭-‬13 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.30.1-13.NIV.

Jacob was a man under siege. He was in a very tricky position as a husband of more than one wife. His situation depicted the life of men who’re married to more than one wife even to this day. There is always a rivalry between the co-wives. There is always a desire to outshine each other and prove that one is more loved. Such was the state of affairs between the two sisters, Leah and Rachel. Leah’s open womb brought forth offspring. These children definitely drew Jacob closer to her than to Rachel. So Rachel was incensed and angered by this. Her frustrations are highlighted by her complaints in verse 1, ‘ …give me children or I die!’ This was not just a normal complaint but a desperate call. Whereas she was the one Jacob loved, it seemed as if the tables had been turned and God’s favor was shining upon the life of her sister instead. God’s ways are not as obvious as ours. Even when the odds are stacked to our favour and things seem to be working for us, God could still uplift those we deem below us to positions of prominence. Rachel was truly the love of Jacob’s life. However, God favoured Leah instead. God opens doors for those we at times see as failures. He’s a God who sees the hurting and the struggling and is attentive to their call. So Rachel allowed her maidservant to give birth on her behalf. Through Bilhah, she sired Dan and Naphtali. But as Leah saw that Rachel was having children she also became jealous of her and allowed Zilpah to bear her Gad and Asher. Jealousy begets more jealousy. If we allow it to fester in our hearts, it could unleash a chain of unstoppable events which are driven by selfishness. The focus turns away from God and being good to others. It shifts towards ‘making a point’ to others. Jealousy leaves a lasting sour taste in our mouths. It builds walls and not bridges. Leah and Rachel, sisters sired in the same household couldn’t see eye to eye because of the seed of jealousy sowed between them. May this be a lasting warning to us.