Genesis 34:7 “Now the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very angry because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done.”

TAKING UP FOR OTHERS

Now before you jump to conclusions (and that might be the only exercise you get today, lol) I am not going to ask you to share this story in context with your children.  This is one of those stories that is best explained in full when they are older.  With that said, let’s look at what really happened.

Jacob’s daughter, Dinah, had been assaulted by a local man where they lived, and her big brothers were not happy.  They decided to get revenge on this man and all who lived in the city.  They took up the offense of their sister instead of letting the Lord deal with it.  That’s the lesson to be learned today.

TEACHING MOMENT

I guarantee you that your children will be faced with this decision one day.  They will make friends who are hurt by someone else.  They will get pulled into a situation where they will be asked to “side” with their friend and “get back” at the other person.  You’ve seen it happen so many times in school.  Kids gang up on someone else to teach them a lesson.  Wrong!  God is not pleased with that.

Righteous anger is Biblical, but revenge is best left to the Lord.  There is nothing wrong with being upset over seeing someone mistreated.  There is nothing wrong with coming to their defense.  But plotting to get even with them is not the same.

If Jacob’s sons had been there when Dinah was being assaulted and defended their sister they would have acted correctly.  But scheming to kill and destroy a whole city was not pleasing to their father or to God.

Teach your children to be courageous and bold in the face of injustice.  But teach them also to let the Lord administer justice.  He is the Judge after all.