And They Cried
Jacob looked up. And there was Esau, coming with his 400 men! So
Jacob separated the children. He put them with Leah, Rachel and the two female
servants. He put the servants and their children in front. He put Leah and her
children next. And he put Rachel and Joseph last.
He
himself went on ahead. As he came near his brother, he bowed down to the ground
seven times.
But
Esau ran to meet Jacob. He hugged him and threw his arms around his neck. He
kissed him, and they cried.
Genesis 33:1-4
Isn’t
it funny how relationships can go in so many different ways? Sometimes we
perceive threats from people who really are good Christians.
In
the Old Testament, we see an instance when Jacob imagined a threat that wasn’t
really there.
Jacob
had stolen his brother Esau’s blessing by their father. Now, after years of
separation, they were going to meet again. When Jacob saw the 400 men with
Esau, Jacob thought he was about to be harmed. In reality, Esau brought a
welcoming committee. They hugged. They cried, for happiness.
In
interpersonal relationships, we sometimes misinterpret a situation. We must ask
the Lord for discernment so we don’t miss a friendship because of an imaginary
threat.
Don’t be afraid of a presumed enemy,
but trust in the Lord to make a new friend.
Our Daily Bread –