31:1-2 Eventually, Laban's crookedness overwhelms the coexistence of his and Jacob's family. Jacob hears and observes Laban's jealousy of him and his plan to overthrow Jacob's success. Laban unfairly and inaccurately labels Jacob as a thief.
Jacob arrived in Laban's region and helped him to become successful. Jacob loves God and follows His instruction, because of that, he is successful in all of his endeavors. Laban tries to convince the people around him that Jacob's success was stolen.
31:3 How does Jacob respond initially? He brings the issue to God. Before making decisions or dealing with unfavorable or even favorable conditions in our lives, it's so worthwhile for us to pause and request God's assistance and perspective. He helps us to see clearly and objectively. In Him, our hope for better is not blind. Our hope is informed and patient, layered and constructed with plan and purpose.
Through His communication with God, Jacob is encouraged to go to his home. God's promise: I will be with you. We all receive this reassurance force, rush of love from God before taking steps. Jacob convened with God; he essentially took a time out from the game. That is what prayer is. It gives a moment to step out of the game, call a time-out with our coach and establish a new direction. A game plan. He helps us to situate ourselves amidst changing and even difficult circumstances.
God helps us to clearly define the origin of our struggle, an objective view of our circumstance, and a path to a more stable destination. And like any coach worth his salt, God finishes the time-out with... 1...2...3... I am with you. God says to us: "Hey, we went over everything. We have a plan. I love you. I am with you." He reminds us that even though we hesitate and falter and forget He never does. Therefore we always have stability in Him. We always have focus and clear direction in Him. He's always going to motivate us, move us forward and protect the place where we land after taking the jump.
31:4-6 Next step: Jacob informs his family of the situation and the plan. Jacob explains to his wives that their father has been against them, against the family that together they have created. More importantly: Jacob explains to his wives that our Father, our spiritual Father, our God has been with him. Romans 8:31, if God is with us nobody can be against us.
31:7-7 Jacob allows his wives to review the events: Laban received honest and fair commitment from Jacob from the very beginning... Jacob never received the same in return.
Jacob reminds them that God never allowed Laban to hurt him. Although Laban threw trick after trick at Jacob, Jacob received everything and more than he always wanted. The love of his life, a successful farm (the means which supported his lifestyle and his family), many children and also a second kind wife. Laban set Jacob up for disaster but was never able to thwart him. Jacob's fortune grew and grew because of His faith and direction from God.
31:8-9 God has orchestrated Jacob's success. He enables Jacob to thrive despite opposition. He does this for all of His children who give him the trust and permission to do so.
31:10-12 Jacob continues to dream spiritual communication with God. God is leading him through life and most important: Jacob is following. God is aware of every aspect of Jacob's life, of all the ways Laban is plotting against him. God knows our friends and our enemies, He keeps close watch on all matters of our lives.
God can see our lives from every perspective. From our perspective. From the perspective of others. He knows what and who is coming toward us; he whats what and who is planning to depart from us. He prepares us for all of it.
31:13 Pure reassurance from God: I am the God you have known and followed all your life. I will continue to lead you. Have courage, stand up and walk where to the place I lead you.
Sometimes (read: often) we need this jump-start of reassurance. God encourages us to stand up with courage, prepared to journey down new paths... new paths with the same leader, the same destination: our God.
31:14-15 Laban's daughters are shocked when they realize that their father is withholding their inheritance.
31:16 Their father having abandoned the priority of his daughter's well-being, Leah and Rachel both commit to Jacob's plan. They tell him to listen to God, to do all that He suggests. They know that their spiritual Father does have their best interest at heart and they feel comfortable and encouraged in following Him.
31:17-18 Jacob follows God's instruction with the support of his wives, gathers all of his belongings and sets on a journey for home: the land of Canaan where he was raised by Isaac and Rebekah.
31:19-21 To escape Laban's contention, Jacob and his family do not inform Laban of their departure. Rachel, feeling mistreated by her father, takes his golden idol. Rachel believes in the same God as Jacob, not idols... but the figure it self was made of gold and therefore had monetary value. This 1) declares what we might already know: Laban was not focused on the true God and 2) Rachel is entirely human, as in, not above somewhat petty behavior. We are all flawed (like Laban, like Rachel), God loves and leads us anyway when He knows we're trying.
31:22-23 Furious, Laban pursues Jacob. Yet Jacob had no reason to worry, God is always watching our back, covering our bases when we are living in accordance with His compassionate will.
31:24 God halts Laban. He instructs Laban to leave Jacob alone. God tells Laban not to speak to Jacob, not even kindly... he tells him to simply let Jacob go. No contention. No mess.
31:25-26 Laban does want he wants to do instead. He follows Jacob and then confronts him.
31:27-28 Laban fawns innocence: he asks Jacob why he was not informed of their departure. Laban claims that he would have had a farewell celebration. Laban lies: he was angry with Jacob and planned to take away all of his hard work.
31:29 Laban almost threatens Jacob but reveals the instruction God gave to him not to speak to Jacob. Laban believes he is powerful but children of God know that He is the only power and any entity against Him is powerless.
31:30 Laban also mentions the idol that Rachel took from his house.
31:31 Jacob is honest with Laban: he left without notice because he feared that Laban would take away his family.
31:32 Jacob is unaware that Rachel stole the idol from Laban. He tells Laban that he may take the life of the person who took the idol from him. Jacob does not think that anyone with his took the idol.
31:33-34 Laban begins searching in everyone's belongings in order to find the golden idol. He cannot find it; Rachel has it packed in her camel's saddle.
31:35 When Laban is about to search her, Rachel claims that she is unwell and cannot be moved at the moment.
31:36-41 Jacob finally loses his tempter with Laban. He recounts all of the ways that he has been fair with Laban only to have Laban deceive and thwart him in return. Jacob reminds Laban that he has served and worked for twenty years.
31:42 Jacob is honest in saying that if it were not for God, Laban would have completely stripped Jacob of everything he has. And this is the root of all of Jacob's success, joy and fortune: he knows Who enabled and delivered it. God. He follows God's advice, His philosophy of life which is comprised of honesty, hard work, love, compassion, patience and justice. Jacobs knows that those qualities are the cobblestones of the path which leads to life.
Jacob explains that God has 1) seen how he has worked and 2) his affliction. God knows when we are a positive force and will never allow negativity to overcome us.
31:43-44 Stubborn and unjust as always, Laban continues the claim that everything Jacob has is actually his. Unsure of how to take it all back, however, Laban offers a peace-treaty with Jacob.
31:45-50 Laban and Jacob create the conditions under which to make a formal deal. Laban tells Jacob that he may not harm his daughters or take on any additional wives.
31:51-54 Under the agreement, with God as witness, Jacob and Laban promise to go separate ways.
31:55 Laban says goodbye to his daughters and their children, wishes them well and then departs.
