Day 12: Genesis 34, 35 and 36

Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me” (Genesis 34:30).

This is one of the R-rated stories of the Bible. Jacob’s daughter Dinah was raped by Shechem, son of the local chieftain. To make things worse, Shechem’s townspeople thought they could use this crime to their advantage and cheat Jacob out of his livestock and property. How’s that for depraved? When Dinah’s brothers heard about the attack, they hatched a plan to avenge her. When the dust had settled, Shechem and his fellow citizens were dead.

Jacob panicked. “What if the other towns of this land join forces against us? We’ll be destroyed!” (v. 30).

Three days ago we read about a dispute involving Jacob’s father Isaac. He chose the non-confrontational route when some Philistine hotheads plugged up his wells. There’s something to be said for diplomacy and allowing cooler heads to prevail. Jacob would also have preferred avoiding confrontation, but now it was too late. His children’s impulsive reaction could not be taken back.

When the enemy is bigger and stronger, it’s usually wise to tactfully negotiate a settlement that doesn’t include getting one’s butt kicked. But sometimes the most important question is not, “What are my odds?” Sometimes the principles are important enough that someone has to stand up for what’s right. Is it possible there are times when it’s better to go down fighting than to compromise?

TODAY’S MEDITATION

When is diplomacy the best path? When is confrontation necessary?