I wonder how “good” Leah’s life was before Rachel was born. I wonder if she was adored and coddled as the precious daughter when there was no rival for everyone’s affection.
Oh, how I imagine such a “good” world changed for Leah when Rachel the “beautiful” (Genesis 24:17) came along. Was she ignored? Was she (constantly) compared? How many times did she hear beautiful … but never in relation to herself?
I am sure by the time she was marrying age, Leah wondered if anyone would want her. How could anyone love her in the presence of Rachel? Who would want to settle for the “lesser” sister?
I can see Leah becoming convinced that Rachel had the sparkle and she was stuck with the sympathy. Especially if Rachel taunted her on a regular basis about not being special.
Then a relative showed up. A handsome single man needing refuge for a while. Of course, he becomes enamored with Rachel.
But did he completely ignore Leah?
Or did he interact with Leah, engage her in conversation, and entertain her with stories?
Did Jacob make Leah feel seen and known because He acknowledged her?
Was Jacob the first instance of Leah hearing something positive, something lovely, something encouraging about herself?
Was Jacob the first person to look at Leah and not instantly dismiss her as …
Lesser?
Lacking?
Lackluster?
Was Jacob the first person to …
Offer Leah worth?
Assign Leah value?
Help Leah feel like she mattered?
Did Jacob offer light and life to Leah’s weary and hopeless heart?
Was Jacob’s appeal that he was new in town and wasn’t familiar with the labels forced upon Leah?
OR …
Or was there more?
Did Leah see an opportunity to hurt Rachel and possibly take her down a peg or two by trying to turn Jacob’s affections?
Was the challenge to make Rachel seem lesser and lackluster?
Was the hope that Jacob could love her (Leah) and forget Rachel?
We will never know the desperation of Leah’s mind for why she was willing to give herself to Jacob under the disguise of the wedding veil.
We will never understand the anguish of Leah’s heart or why she languished in an unhappy marriage for so long.
We will never realize what it cost Leah to finally believe her hope was in God and to give herself to God with “I will praise the Lord” (Genesis 29:35 NIV).
She went from pain to praise.
She went from ignored to known.
She went from unloved to loved.
Because she realized Jacob was not the source of her …
Hope.
Happiness.
Health (mental, emotional).
She decided to trust the One who râʼâh (raw-aw’) – approved of, beheld, considered, gazed at, looked at, regarded, respected, saw [1] – her.
So, what can we learn from Leah?
We should never plan our future or plant our happiness on the hope that someone will …
See us.
Appreciate us.
Love us.
Leah was …
Lost.
Lonely.
Unloved.
When she pinned her hope in Jacob.
But Leah was …
Found.
Known.
Very loved.
When she focused her hope in and on God.
What a beautiful reminder to …
Pay attention to what we are paying attention to.
Look at who or what we are looking at.
Think about who or what you are thinking about.
I pray we reconsider the people and things in whom we put our hope to make us feel or feel better or feel loved.
I pray we choose to praise through our pain until we see God’s glory.
And I pray that we allow any pieces of Leah in us to be infiltrated with God’s love and permeated by God’s grace so we too are able to humbly say “I will praise the Lord” and live found, known, and loved.
[1] Blue Letter Bible, “Strong’s H7200 – rā’â”, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7200/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Marie Fremin. 9/30/23, 2/20-2/21/24
Marie's Hope 