SCRIPTURE: Genesis 29
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
(Read my reflection from 2008)
When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” [Genesis 29:31-32]
This seems to be a pattern with the Lord, He does not go with how we measure and value people, but prefers to bless the underdog.
Jacob himself as the second born son was a recipient of God’s ‘upside-down’ love.
This is an encouragement who find themselves overlooked and unloved to remember that they have a special place in God’s heart.
She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children. [Genesis 29:35]

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. [Luke 1:46-48]
Mary, a nobody from no place important, is chosen to be the mother of Jesus.
Yet we also know that she was a descendant of Judah, the son of Leah [Matthew 1:2,16], chosen to be the line of the coming Messiah [Genesis 49:8-12].
Once again God shows how He prefers to work with the underdog to do His work.
Jesus turns this into a wisdom principle for His followers, to seek the lowest and not the highest place: But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. [Luke 14:10]

In this ‘king of the hill’ world, which is truly ‘survival of the fittest’, God operates on a different principle, and we ought to remember this.
For those who find themselves on the bottom, they too can praise the Lord (like Leah) that the Lord looks on them with a special favour.
They may not be loved or valued by the world, but they are loved and valued by the Creator of the world, and in the long run this is of more importance.
The time will come when He will say, Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. [Luke 14:10]
For all of us who live in this world, we ought to value and seek worldly value and promotion less than we do God’s value and promotion.
What is more important, to be loved and valued by God (which endures forever), or to be loved and valued by the world (which is fickle, contingent, unreliable)?
Another thought, who do you love and value?
Do you run after the ‘stars’, the ‘rich and famous’, the lovable or the ones that make us feel good?
Or do we value and love the overlooked, the unappreciated?

PRAYER:
Lord, it is not nice to be unloved and unappreciated… but You know that too. Help me to love and value the overlooked and unappreciated around me.