GENESIS 31

In this chapter, Jacob complains that Laban has changed his wages ten times. "However," Jacob said, "God has not allowed him to harm me. If he said, 'The speckled ones will be your wages,' then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, 'The streaked ones will be your wages,' then all the flocks bore streaked young." (vs 7-8)

After Jacob had worked fourteen years for Rachel and Leah, he worked another six years for Laban, in an effort to build up his flocks before he moved away with his wives and children. Lambs are born twice a year. In the first year, Laban observed how Jacob was beginning to acquire more flocks (and thereby more wealth) according to their agreement. Thus, over the course of the next five years, he "changed Jacob’s wages ten times." That means that every time a flock of lambs was born, Laban would change the terms of the agreement for the next flock.

But, as Jacob told his wives later, it didn’t matter what Laban did. When he saw that a flock of speckled sheep had been born, he declared that—in the next flock—speckled sheep would belong to him. And when the next flock produced streaked sheep instead, he would change the agreement yet again. For five years, Laban tried to find a way to weasel himself into Jacob’s blessings. And for five years, it didn’t work.

So, what should this tell us about God? His blessings are constant, even in the midst of changing situations. God isn’t dependent upon the integrity of those around us in order to bless us—thank goodness! Even when we’re being treated unfairly, even when somebody keeps "changing the story" to try to benefit themselves, God is more than able to adapt His work to bring blessing to us.

Hopefully this could help us to be more patient and not get upset when people deal with us in less-than-honest ways. Instead, we can remember that our God is able, in all things, to bless us and bring good to us—no matter what anybody else is doing or not doing. He is the one constant in the midst of a changing world!