Yesterday I shared some a brief reflection on the story of Jesus’ initial visit with Mary and Martha.  Today I’ld like to look at a second story involving two sisters, this time from the Old Testament book of Genesis.  After fleeing from his home and the anger of his brother, Jacob arrives “in the east,” in the land his own family had left years before.  Eventually he meets Laban, the father of two daughters: Leah and Rachel.  Jacob stays with Laban and his family for a month.  From Genesis 29 (English Standard Version):

¹⁵ Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” ¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. ¹⁷ Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. ¹⁸ Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” ¹⁹ Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.”²⁰ So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

Jacob had met the younger sister before, upon arriving in Paddan Aram while at the watering hole.  It is to Rachel that Jacob first shares his identity.  It is Rachel he kisses and weeps aloud and Rachel who will announce Jacob’s presence to the rest of his family. It is Rachel that Jacob loves, just like it is Rachel’s son that he will love above all others.  Which is why what happens next is so devastating:

²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” ²² So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. ²³ But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. . . ²⁵ And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” ²⁶ Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. ²⁷ Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” ²⁸ Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. . .  ³⁰ So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.

On some very basic level, Leah and Rachel and Jacob are collateral damage to the maneuverings of Laban, the father of the two sisters.  As painful as it might be for Leah, Jacob’s love for Rachel speaks to an appropriate “ordering,” even if it seems odd.  Laban seemingly makes a promise and then, on his youngest daughter’s wedding night, breaks the promise, seemingly for the customs of his country.  And while it is Jacob who does not relent, it is Laban who wins (at least this hand of the long game).

It is interesting to me that where Jesus rightly orders Mary and Martha and their activity (the business each is about), Laban wrongly orders his two daughters, even as he sees his action as some kind of cultural correction/expectation.  It is the deceit, the weak explanation of the morning after, that reveal that disordering.

Yesterday I ended my post with this: Be Mary as much as  possible, be Martha when it is good and right, but never be Martha without Jesus.  To that I would add: Beware of Laban, who through veiled intentions disorders what is rightly ordered. 

Next time I’d like to draw some more connections between these two stories, particularly as they can be pictures of the Christian life and the responsibilities of ordering rightly as well as living rightly.