Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Jacob

Rev. Sherill Clontz. If you look up dirty, rotten scoundrel in the dictionary, Jacob’s picture will be there.  He was a cheat and a trickster and he always tried to get his way.  He was born holding onto his brother, Esau’s foot trying to be the first born son.  Jacob tricks the hapless Esau out of his birthright and his father’s blessing and then fled for his life (this becomes a theme in Jacob’s life).

            In today’s text with its familiar vision of Jacob’s ladder/staircase we hear God’s promises to Jacob: many descendants, much land and divine protection.  What is Jacob’s response?  If God is with me, protects me, gives me bread and clothes and returns meto my father’s house, then the Lord will be my God.  It is at this moment that Jacob’s story becomes our story.  How often do we place conditions on God?  How many of us will only serve God when God is doing what we want.  We may not start out that way; we don’t even realize what we are doing.  But when we don’t get that job, the marriage, the break we deserve and all the goodies that everyone else gets, then we stop.  No more church, no more following God, we stop; we are done!

            The power of Jacob’s story is how he wrestles all night with God and it is in that conflict, that struggle that transformation occurs.  It is no different with us.  We too must wrestle with God, struggle with God, accept who we are, but also who God calls us to be.  In his struggle, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel as a sign his transformation.  Perhaps we all need a name change as well.