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Ancient Jacob shows what love will do. After fleeing from his brother Esau to stay alive, he went to live with his uncle Laban. After a month, Laban said to him, “You shouldn’t work for me without pay just because we are relatives. Tell me how much your wages should be.” “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife,” Jacob answered. “Agreed!” Laban replied. “I’d rather you have her than anyone else. Stay and work with me.” So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. His love for her was so strong it seemed like a few days. When the time came to marry her, he said to Laban, “I have kept my agreement; give me my wife so I can sleep with her.” So Laban invited in the neighborhood and prepared a wedding feast. But that night, when it was dark, Laban took his older daughter Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. When Jacob woke up in the morning, it was Leah! “What have you done to me?” he raged at Laban. “I worked seven years for Rachel! Why have you tricked me?” “It’s not our custom here to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn,” Laban replied. “But wait until the bridal week is over, then we’ll give you Rachel, too—IF you promise to work another 7 years for me.” So Jacob agreed to work seven more years for Rachel. Self-giving love is powerful.
