In Pursuit of the World

Scripture: The girl ran home to tell her folks, and when her brother Laban saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard her story, he rushed out to the spring where the man was still standing beside his camels, and said to him, "Come and stay with us, friend; why stand here outside the city when we have a room all ready for you, and a place prepared for the camels." Genesis 24:28-31

Observation: The story Rebekah would have told her family is that ... she met a traveler at the well, helped him with his camels, and as a result he gave her fine jewelry and so she invited him to stay with them for the night. Her brother Laban sees the gold, and himself rushes out to meet Abraham's servant.

Laban is a man concerned with the material world. He may well believe in and obey Yahweh (maybe ... he agrees that the Lord has brought about this situation and thus agrees to the marriage of his sister, but later we know he has idols in his home), but he also seeks to work situations to achieve his own wealth. We know he will later pit his wits against Jacob to manipulate their arrangements to improve his livestock. And here we see him take control of a situation - ensuring he is the one who formally invites the stranger to stay in his father's house - because he has seen the stranger has valuable gifts.

In the end, Laban's pursuit of material comforts will cost him ... his family. Here, he is eager to please this rich stranger, and the result is the immediate departure of his sister. Later, he will become an enemy of Jacob, and it will cost him both his daughters and a dozen grandchildren. We also see him here partially usurping his father's authority - and later declaring with an iron fist that everything in his home is his despite Jacob's rightful ownership - so even now we see Laban creating potential division with his parents over the assets of their home.

Application: Laban is an example for me of what happens when you pursue "the world" instead of the Lord. Prioritizing those things that many deem important - riches, comfort, honor - creates hard work, tension, and eventually a cost that may be high.

I sometimes remain focused on comfort and position. I am learning to let go of that. Where I need to continue to improve is in a right understanding of what to focus on INSTEAD of worldly gain, which is the precepts and laws and instruction of the Lord. I need to put my mind and meditations to these things more, and put my efforts in aligning to the Lord's guidance. This can be done in the context of earthly activity and work.

Laban put all his work into earthly pursuits, and ultimately lost so much with little notable gain. I will not follow his path.

Prayer: Lord, may I meditate on your word and teaching more and more every day. I would like my daily activity to be in pursuit of your will and guidance, in the workplace you have put me. Amen.