Femme Fridays--Leah

Genesis 29:15-20 English Standard Version (ESV)

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were weak,[a] but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

And here come's our usual disclaimer: I love the story of Leah and Rachel for the simple reason it shows that sometimes what you want truly is not what you want. Don't get me just yet?  You know when you see something and you're like "Ooo! I want that" and then you get it and turns out you don't really like it that much? That's what I mean.

See in the story of Leah and Rachel, there was a comparison between the two. You know how we label family members. "That's the crazy one, that's the pretty one, that's the smart one." Y'all know. Well, Rachel was the pretty one and Leah was the ugly one. How do I know that? Refer to verse 17. I won't even say that Leah was ugly. She may have not been really really ugly, but she was cross-eyed or had a lazy eye, but y'all know what I mean. Leah was not as desirable as Rachel. So Jacob wanted Rachel. 

I'm not sure what exactly Laban was trying to do by switching Leah and Rachel that night. I really don't know, but I think it's hilarious. Actually wait--I do know: Leah was the firstborn and she had to be given away before the youngest child. Jacob felt so hoodwinked, bamboozled, run amok because he realized what happened. But see this is the thing, God will take the very thing you don't want and make it the thing you need. 

Jacob's Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben,[a]for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.[b] 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.[c] 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah.[d] Then she ceased bearing.

Jacob can call Leah ugly, cock-eyed whatever he wants to call her, but the one thing he can't say about her is that he doesn't need her. Without her, his legacy would be dead. His first 3 children came from her. Honestly and truly, if you read on, he wouldn't have had his other children if Leah wouldn't have had the first 3. But Jacob never wanted her, right? 

I really hate this comparison. It's a little misogynistic, but let's put in terms of vehicles. My cousin Sheika is absolutely obsessed with the new Lincoln MKZ. She wants one so bad,but when it was time for her to get a new car, she couldn't afford the brand new, fully loaded MKZ that she wanted. So she had to get her little toot-toot, Mitsubishi Mirage. Big difference right? But that car was a blessing in disguise. It was still a brand new car, it was wayyyyyyyyyy better on gas, and it put her in a better position for her to get another car. But she didn't want the car. She never thought about getting that car. Her eyes were on the MKZ.

This is just like how Jacob's had eyes for Rachel. Rachel couldn't even had children, but he didn't know that looking at her. All he saw was that she was beautiful. He didn't know what kind of problems there would be or what came with Rachel. All he knew was that she was more beautiful than her sister and he wanted her, but that wasn't in God's plan. 

I can't be mad at Jacob though. We all have our ideal mate. I like em tall, slim, and red. I always have ever since I was little girl (LL Cool J was zaddy when I was like 2. I swear 😂😂). I got exactly what I wanted in one of my exes, well most of them actually. I am a creature of habit😂😂. Obviously that didn't work out for me or else they would not have been an ex. I had to open my eyes more and see what God really has for me.

Just like that, God can bless you with the unexpected.