The Error in Anger: Genesis 31:36-42

If we are rooted in God’s character, even when we err we can bring glory to the name of God.  Nobody gets every judgment call correct.  Fortunately, God’s glory is not based on our ability to get every call right.  God is still a glorious God regardless of whether I take the right stand or end up making a mistake.

After watching Laban sort through all his possessions, going from tent to tent and finding nothing, Jacob lets his outrage usher forth.  He’s fed up.  He’s lived under Laban’s watchful eye for twenty years.  He tried to slip out without conflict, but Laban brought conflict anyways.

It’s difficult to look at passages like this and keep clinical distance.  Jacob tried to offer up a reasonable price for Rachel and got Leah instead.  Then he worked again for Rachel.  Then when he tried to leave, Laban convinced him to stay longer.  Laban has one of those personalities that must win.  It is easy to come alongside Jacob, agree with him, and proclaim his anger as righteous anger.

Certainly, Jacob endured much.  Watching Laban search through his possessions and come up empty explains Jacob’s rising ire.  From his perspective, it is time to defend himself.

On this circumstance, though, Laban is in the right.  Rachel did steal his family’s household gods.  The fact that Rachel never gets caught doesn’t change the validity of Laban’s accusation.

That’s the problem with anger and expressions of anger.  In the moment, expressing anger always feels justified.  By the time our anger has risen, our mind already approves. 

Jacob speaks.  Most of what he says is accurate.  He just happens to be wrong about the events of this specific moment.

When Jacob spoke up about Laban’s scheme involving Leah, he was justified.  When Jacob spoke up about continuing to work after serving fourteen years, he was justified.  Here, though, he doesn’t know the whole story.  Jacob steps out on what he believes to be true and allows his anger to cover Rachel’s theft.  His anger is understandable, but here he unknowingly uses it to defend the guilty.

Even in that mistake, Jacob shows his faith.  When He speaks about enduring Laban’s schemes, Jacob gives all the glory to God.  God is the only reason Jacob prospered under Laban.  Had God not been watching over Jacob, Laban would have found a way to claim everything that Jacob worked for.  God is the reason Jacob overcame.  God is the reason Jacob is standing before Laban now.  In his error, Jacob still glorifies God.

It’s hard to always make the right call in life.  We make mistakes.  Sometimes we find ourselves fighting for what we think is right and realize we erred because we didn’t have the whole picture.  This is why our decisions should always be based on God and His ways.  As Jacob does here, if we are rooted in God’s character, even when we err we can bring glory to the name of God.