Jacob was a deceiver. But then he encountered one more deceitful than him, his uncle Laban.
His uncle tricked him into marrying the wrong sister, made him work an additional seven years for the right sister, and changed his wages ten times.
Jacob could have developed a victim mentality. He was, after all, a victim of Laban’s shenanigans. Jacob had every right to become bitter, angry, vengeful. But you know what Jacob did instead? He served Laban well and He prospered.
Prosperity is the ultimate revenge.
Jacob realized that Laban could cheat him but he could not harm him. Laban could steal from him but he could not break his spirit. Why? Because Jacob knew God was for Him.
Do you remember that Chris Tomlin song?
🎶 And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
Then what can stand against? 🎶
Do you believe it’s true? How about what Paul wrote?
“If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?”
Romans 8:31-32 CSB
When God is for us, people may cheat us but they can’t stop us.
People may steal from us, but they can’t thwart us.
We respond by serving well and prospering.
We don’t take matters in our own hands but we rely on the wisdom of God. We allow God to avenge us.
Brothers and sisters, life is not fair. The world is not our friend. But we do not respond to life’s disappointment, life’s heartaches, life’s harshness like the world responds. We don’t respond with despair, anger, hatred, or violence. We respond with hope. We respond with forgiveness. We respond with love because we, like Jacob, have a secret:
“If God is for us, who can stand against us?”
“If God is for us, who can steal our destiny?”
“If God is for us, who can cheat us out of our inheritance?”
You may have been victimized but you are not a victim.
Listen to the wisdom of God.
Let God fight your battle.
Serve well.
Prosper.
“You know that with all my strength I have served your father and that he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not let him harm me.
God has taken away your father’s herds and given them to me.”
Genesis 31:6-7, 9 CSB