Jacob Plans Sheepishly

Genesis 30: 25-43

After Joseph is born, Jacob decides it's time to take his family out on it's own, and Laban isn't too keen on the idea. He pleads- "Name your wages and I'll pay them."

This reinforces my thinking that Jacob's shepherding is Laban's primary concern over the last fourteen years. I've been given such wealth, and now he's leaving- how can I make him stay?

Jacob says, ok- I'll keep charge of your flock if you give me all the spotted or speckled sheep and goast and also every dark-colored lamb. Laban is so desperate that he agrees and Jacob begins to build wealth of his own. He devises a system of keeping the strong animals together to mate away from Laban's but he lets Laban have the weak ones back.

A few thoughts:
This passage may be further evidence of Jacob doting on Rachel. Once she has her child, they're ready to move. Maybe it was her opportunity to show off in front of her family. Maybe it was coincidence, but this event seems to be the catalyst inspiring Jacob to head for his own hills.

It seems significant that Jacob builds with the spotted, the streaked and the speckled- the less than pure, and uses them to build his fortune. I'm hesitant to make the same claim of the dark lambs, but it seems like there may be two purposes here. First, and most literally- by taking the spotted animals, it is easy to tell whose animals belong to who.

Second, though, maybe Moses is giving us another example of God's love for those who are less than pure- those that need him most. So he looks down and sees the spotted soul, the streaked, and the tarnished, and instead of trading up- instead of looking for the holier soul, He says, no- I'll take you, I'll wash you, and you'll be whiter than snow.

Maybe too though, the fact that he sends the weak back indicates our need to get stronger. He'll take us as we are, He'll help us to grow and strengthen, but if we're content to stay weak- He let's us wander back to Laban.