14 January | Youth
«There was no sparkle in Leah’s eyes.» Genesis 29:17, NLT
Everyone wants to be valued or, at the very least, noticed. You know that story about “having a place in the sun”? Well, no one wants to be invisible or spend their lives in the dark. The problem occurs when the person does not have the stereotypes that society deems important, such as friendliness and beauty. That was probably Leah's difficulty.
The Bible says that she had “dull” eyes, unlike her younger sister, Rachel, who attracted glances and caused sighs from the young men in the region. While Leah walked in the shadow for being a supporting character, Rachel accumulated suitors. Certainly, her father, Laban, was worried about the future of the girl with dull eyes.
One day, Jacob wandered into his uncle Laban's house and ended up “crazy in love” with Rachel. In love, he proposed working seven years to have his beautiful cousin's hand in marriage. The years passed like a fog and finally the wedding day arrived. Jacob married the woman of his life.
However, when he woke up, the dream turned into a nightmare. Instead of with Rachel, he had slept with Leah, the “invisible” woman. Laban's trick became a drama for Jacob. He would have to work seven more years to have Rachel's hand. Despite this, Leah tried hard to get her husband's attention. After giving birth to Reuben, which means “look, a son,” she said, “now my husband will love me” (Gen 29:32).
In addition to Reuben, Leah had other children: Simeon, which means “one who hears,” and Levi, which means “being attached.” It seems that Leah placed the hope of being valued by her husband in her children. However, that did not happen. Until, finally, Judah was born. Instead of seeking self-affirmation in Jacob, Leah found God's approval. She said, “Now I will praise the Lord!” (Gen 29:35).
The birth of Judah calmed Leah's expectations. She learned to trust only in God. The most beautiful thing about this story is that Jesus did not come from Rachel’s children, but from the despised Leah. The Bible describes Him as a descendant of the tribe of Judah (Heb 7:14).
This story teaches us that God sees the “invisible.” Are you one of them? Do not worry. God has a unique way of valuing those who place their trust and love in Him.