Laban contends with Jacob

Jacob becomes indignant with Laban and pours out his complaint.  They agree to make a covenant.

It is astounding the way one person can see another as only  a means to an end.  Laban could not see Jacob as a person – nor his daughters for that matter.  Everything that they did, from their hard work to their raising of children, Laban claimed as his own property.

The unmistakable effect is to drive those people out of his life who might have been the joy and satisfaction of his old age.  Objectification of the other seems to breed a response of objectification.  We do each other this untoward favor.

It was ordained.  The separation had to come, as it often does.  Jacob was, after all, destined to return to the land of Abraham and Isaac.

But the sneaking escape, the angry hot-pursuit, the implicit threats; these things were never necessary and they injured everyone involved.

“Give us eyes to see” – the cry feels more urgent this morning.