Good Morning.
“Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.” (Genesis 34:23)
In an effort to secure Dinah as his son’s wife, Hamor and Shechem agreed to terms presented by the sons of Jacob and convinced the other men of that region to comply as well. They were to be circumcised if they were to be joined to the children of Israel. It appears that Hamor, in particular, had disingenuous intentions and, being the politician he was, pitched the proposal to the other Shechemites in this fashion: the men of Canaan would eventually be dictating terms, absorbing Jacob’s family and property into their community. Blinded by lust — Shechem for Dinah and Hamor for possessions — the Canaanites raced headlong into a well conceived trap that would result in their demise.
How many times have you made a hasty decision in the midst of an emotionally charged situation and later thought, “That’s the greatest decision I’ve ever made”? Not often I would imagine and, yet, we consistently do this as human beings. We act before we think resulting in a scenario where we are provoked to go to our Father in Heaven and plead with Him to forgive us again.
Solomon wrote, “The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be caught by their lust” (Proverbs 11:5-6). Resisting our inclination to satiate our impulses will prove to be a life-long struggle. Experience has taught us that we cannot overcome our carnal nature in our own strength but, thankfully, we have been given the ability to overcome by the Spirit of God who helps us in our weaknesses. So today, let us remember that His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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