The beautiful thing about reading verse-by-verse is getting to understand the situation. Sometimes in life we learn from people when they follow the Lord well, other times we learn from their poor decisions.
Dinah, Jacob’s daughter has been abused and raped by Shechem. He liked Dinah but treated her wrong. We find Jacob’s initial response:
“And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came.” Genesis 34:5
It seems that Jacob is being wise. It is important that we keep our peace. Reading the rest of the chapter we recognize the reason why he kept his peace. While his sons didn’t handle the situation the best way, we see why Jacob made the decision to hold his peace.
“Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.”” Genesis 34:30
Jacob feared the people of the land. His concern was survival. Let’s not forget that the Lord has said certain things were going to take place. Jacob continued to walk in fear instead of faith.
Man living in fear means man is only surviving, man living in faith means man is thriving.
Believer, take that step of faith. It could be praying or sharing with your co-worker, taking a stand for Christ in a certain situation, or stepping into something that the Lord proclaimed over your life. If you choose fear your whole life you will pass from this life to the next only a survivor. If you choose faith your whole life you will pass from this life to the next thriving in Christ. Let’s thrive beloved.
- To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.