The Big Picture
By Tomeco N. Woods

Insight from the account of Jacob's marriages to Rachel and Leah (Genesis 29-30).

Your life may be painted with dismay and despair, but each struggle you endure is a brush stroke in the masterpiece called "You."

I used to get angry when I read the account of Jacob's marriages to Rachel and Leah (Genesis 29-30). I was angry with Laban because of his trickery. I was angry with Leah for going along with it, and I felt sorry for Rachel who seemed to be the innocent bystander in it all. I imagined the pain she must have felt the night of the wedding, knowing that her sister Leah had been given to Jacob. I imagined the tears that must have fallen each year that Leah conceived and brought forth children while Rachel remained barren. I even grew angry with Jacob for continuing to return to Leah although he must have known how it broke Rachel's heart each time.

Later, however, I revisited Genesis 29 and received a different revelation. God softened my heart toward Leah. Leah was born during a time in which birth defects and deformities of any sort were viewed as a sign of God's displeasure or judgement. She was described as "tender eyed" ("weak eyed" in some translations), which I have also heard described as cross-eyed. Because of a condition that is now easily correctable, she was probably made to live under the assumption that God cursed her. In addition, Leah was subjected to a second class lifestyle in the shadow of her beautiful sister Rachel.

I am sure that teasing and rejection were a common occurrence in Leah's life, not only from her peers but also from her family. Rather than the unconditional love and acceptance that we expect from parents, Leah received discouragement and insult from her father. What did Laban's actions do to her self-esteem? He thought so little of her appearance, charm and personality he felt it necessary to trick a man into marrying her.

It was at that point that I began to sympathize with Leah. I pitied her, but I should not have. The revelation came that we should not feel sorry for God's children regardless of the hardships and trials we see them facing. We should never be sorry to see the work of God unfolding in the lives of other believers, because we know that everything is working for good.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 KJV

It is true that Leah had a rough life. She was married to a man who was deeply in love with another woman. That other woman happened to be her barren sister who hated Leah because she could bear children. Leah tried desperately to win the love and respect of her husband. She knew Jacob was merely with her out of a sense of duty or obligation, yet she tried to please him by giving him what her sister had thus far been unable to give -- children. Still, she remained unloved.

In Jacob's eyes, Rachel was the wife of promise. Rachel could do no wrong, and when she finally bore his children, those sons became his favorites. In the small picture, Leah's life was rather pitiful. She was stuck in a loveless marriage, her father thought very little of her, and her sister hated her. All she had was her children, and they were no treat themselves.

Rueben, her eldest child, had questionable relations with his father's concubine (who was also his half brother's mother). The vengeful spirits of Simeon and Levi forced Jacob and his entire household to move from their home. Isaachar was deemed lazy by his own father. All of Leah's sons were involved in selling their brother Joseph into slavery.

Leah had the type of life that today could have landed her on a sordid daytime talk show. Still, I believe we are not to read her life's story and pity her, but rather rejoice for her. Yes, the small picture was a grim one for her, but as believers we are called to look at the big picture.

The big picture shows that although rejected by man, Leah was accepted by God. Although Jacob chose Rachel, God chose Leah. After all, from Leah's son Levi came Moses and Aaron and subsequently the priesthood of Israel. We see in the big picture of her life the births of David and Solomon, descendents of her son Judah and Israel's two greatest earthly kings.

More importantly, though, we see in later generations from that same lineage of Judah the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the King of kings.

The small picture of your life may not look like much. Perhaps you are constantly told you are stupid, ugly or worthless. Maybe your marriage seems empty and loveless. It may be that your children have broken your heart and gone astray, or perhaps you feel you are trapped in a dead end job. Regardless of how shadowy the small picture may appear, remember the divine Artist who is creating the masterpiece of your life stroke by stroke.

As your life unfolds on the canvass, you may not understand the direction God is taking.

"Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be…" I John 3:2a KJV

We may not understand the process, but it is not our job to intervene.

"Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?" Romans 9:20-21 KJV

In spite of how chaotic and undisciplined the paint strokes of circumstance may appear in your life, keep your hope and trust in God. I assure you, your big picture will be a work of art.

cbn