TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE
Please read Genesis 34:1-2, 7-8, 14-15, 20-26, 30
Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and my men being few in number, they will gather together against me and attack me, and I will be destroyed, I and my household.”
Genesis 34:30
DEVOTIONAL
by Sandra Chua
I’m currently watching a local television series, “Legal Wives”. It seems like the point of the series is to educate Filipinos about the culture of Muslims. The show introduces us to religious, conservative, and peace-loving people. We usually have the stereotype that they are troublemakers and that you cannot mess with them because they will call their whole clan to make war with you. Why do we have these impressions? The show answers that question by saying we only hear about them on the news, which reports only the criminals. It is sad that the small percentage of their people affects how we view the rest of them.
Our actions indeed affect more than ourselves. It does not only change the way people view our family, it might even cause trouble for them.
Dinah has been raped by Shechem. Her brothers were furious, and they devised a plan for revenge without their father’s knowledge. They convinced Shechem to have all the people circumcised just as they were before they gave their sister in marriage. Lovestruck or lust-struck, Shechem agrees and convinces his people to circumcision. When they were all sore on the third day, Reuben and Simeon struck the people and took their sister from Shechem’s house. Jacob, upon learning about the deed of his sons, knew that there were going to be consequences. The people around the area will certainly not like them, be wary of them, and, worse, act aggressively towards them.
As Christians, our actions affect how people see the God we worship. Sadly, I have heard of people turning away from God because they were repelled by Christians who have wronged them. Let us be careful to guard the name of our Lord and not be quick to quarrel or avenge ourselves. We cannot correct a wrongdoing with another wrongdoing.
God is a God of recompense. Let’s strive to leave that up to Him.
REFLECTION
How quick are we to retaliate? How do we weigh the consequences of our actions? Do we consider how it will affect people around us? Do we think it will bring shame or honor to God?
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, You are the defender of the weak. May we always leave room for Your wrath and always help consider the repercussions of our actions. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.
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