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RUSSELL SANDERS
12—9-2022
FAVORITISM
There are many practical life lessons we can learn from the Bible, especially when it comes to mistakes that the characters made. Jacob (later named Israel) is one such example of mistakes made. One mistake was that of showing favoritism for one person over anyone else.
The first occurred in marriage. He dearly loved Rachel and asked Laban for her hand in marriage. Laban agreed but only if Jacob would be his servant for seven years. Jacob agreed to these terms for the beautiful young maiden. However, he failed to understand the customs of the region.
The marriage ceremony was performed. As customary, the bride was completely hidden by her clothing and a large veil. Afterwards when it was finished and the veil removed, it was not the lovely Rachel. It was her homely looking older sister Leah. Custom had it that the elder daughter must be married before the younger.
When the customary time for the lengthy marriage feast and celebration was complete, Jacob was then given Rachel to wed also.
After a number of years passed, Jacob clearly gave favor to his beloved Rachel. He never really loved Leah although she bore him many sons. Rachel was barren and that became a very sore point of contention. Leah felt unloved. Jacob now had ten sons of three women. (Two concubines and Leah.)
Finally, after quite a few years, God opened Rachel’s womb and she bore Jacob his eleventh son, Joseph. Then she also bare Benjamin, thus completing the twelve “tribes” of Israel (Jacob).
Now Jacob gave great favoritism to Joseph and later to Benjamin. When the ten older sons were sent with the flock into the wilderness in search of grazing for the flocks, Joseph was kept home lest harm should come to him.
Jacob also made Joseph a very special garment which was a very colorful coat not given to any of his other sons. It was a sign of high honor, and it made Joseph’s brothers jealous.
Joseph did not help the cause. God gave him prophetic dreams which showed that he would have dominion over his older brothers and even his father. This “favored son” became hated, and Jacob was the primary cause for it. Joseph’s dreams just added fuel to the fire. This resulted in the brothers capturing Joseph and selling him into slavery.
We must be careful not to show favoritism. Whether it is favoritism to a particular person above others, or even to pets of the same kind it will result in jealousy which leads to other problems. Yes, we can learn these lessons from the Bible, which is God’s Holy Word.
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