God’s Faithfulness Isn’t Limited by Our Imperfections

Genesis 30:37-43

³⁷Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks. ³⁸He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, ³⁹the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. ⁴⁰And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves apart and did not put them with Laban’s flock. ⁴¹Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks, ⁴²but for the feebler of the flock he would not lay them there. So the feebler would be Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. ⁴³Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

(ESV)

Genesis 31:9

⁹Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.

(ESV)

Thought:
Here we are introduced to a most interesting breed technique. After Jacob discovers Laban’s treachery, he engages in this breeding technique in order to make the stronger lambs be born spotted, or striped, for they were to be his wages from Laban. Now few could blame him for this after being cheated so many times, and God doesn’t appear to chastise him for it.

But the interesting thing is this has been studied and nothing points to what Jacob did as actually being effective for producing any kind of difference in sheep wool colour. So why did he do it? Well did you know we swallow 8 spiders every year while we sleep? Most of us have heard that but it isn’t true at all, but it is part of our folklore, those myths that spread around. You make it about something like luck, such as a four-leaf clover and someone is bound to believe it. The people in ancient times were very superstitious, and it is likely this was one of those shepherding superstitions or myths that Jacob had heard.

Jacob isn’t that far separated from the pagan background of his grandfather, and he has been hanging around his uncle who isn’t exactly a worshipper of God. All of the early patriarchs are a mixed bag of truly faithful God-fearing men, with old pagan practices mixed in, they weren’t pure, completely unlike the rest.

They were broken, messy men. As is everyone that has ever been part of the family of God. So how is Jacob's technique so effective? As he says in Genesis 31:9, “God has given them to me.” The effectiveness was not due to some cultural superstition or magic, it was due to the mighty working of God. We can sometimes think God will only work in and through those things we are wholly righteous, and pure. We don’t think God will do anything with us or through us until we rid ourselves of everything we see as bad.

But that will never happen. You will be a mess of a person until the day you die and Jesus returns. You will have a mix of sinful practices and godly virtues every day of your life, because you will never be perfect. But you are not to condemn yourself. Look at the patience with which he bears with Jacob’s pagan superstitions, don’t think that he will be any different with you.

Reflection:
Acknowledge your imperfections honestly and keep moving forward in obedience. Trust that God can work in your life even when you feel inconsistent or flawed, and choose to rely on His faithfulness rather than your own strength.

Prayer:
Lord, help me trust Your work in my life even when I feel imperfect. Teach me to walk in simple obedience and rest in Your faithfulness. Amen.