It is hard to deal with feelings of inadequacy and rejection. But there are lessons to be learned from God’s word that help us understand and overcome feelings that we are “defective.” We face problems that we are not right—we are not like other people.The story is told of Jacob and Rachel and Leah. Jacob fell in love with a beautiful girl named Rachel and he agreed with her father Laban to work seven years to have her as his wife. But Laban had an older daughter, Leah, and he felt it was necessary that Leah get married before Rachel, so Jacob had to agree to work another seven years to have Rachel as his wife.Now there was a problem in addition to the fact that Jacob loved Rachel. We are told, “Leah’s EYES were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance” (Genesis 29:17). This could mean that Leah needed glasses, but most scholars do not think that is the meaning. Since this is said in contrast to Rachel’s beauty, it is thought this is an euphemistic way of say that she was ugly! Jacob didn’t want to marry Leah, and apparently no one else did either. Leah must have developed a deep sense of being unloved and even unwanted—that her body wasn’t right.Even her father thinks she is a problem. Now she has to compete with her sister for the love and attention of her husband. Then God steps in and we are told, “When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb…” and she had four sons. REUBEN was her first son. Reuben means “behold, a son.” And she thinks “Surely my husband will love me now” (Genesis 29:32). But it doesn’t change things.She has a second son, Simeon, and his name means meaning “One who hears.” So she is thinking “Because the Lord heard that I was not loved he gave me this one too” (Genesis 29:33). She must have prayed often to God that she be wanted and loved. She looked to God for help.Then she had two more sons, Levi and Judah. Levi become the head of the tribe of Levi, the “father” of Moses and Aaron, the family of the Jewish priests. And Judah who was the head of the tribe of Judah that gave us men like David and it was the tribe into which Jesus was born!Now ...
