In the story of Leah and Rachel…Leah was overlooked. Unwanted. She was the “less beautiful” sister. And to her father, Laban, she was simply a pawn he could use to get what he wanted out of Jacob. To Jacob, she was a burden, an unwelcome family member forced upon him…something to be tolerated, endured. Leah was not the chosen one. Not the one who was desired or valued. So for us, Leah becomes the face of so many in our world who are invisible. Who are used and ignored, despised and mistreated by those who have more power. Leah is the face of undocumented workers who work long hot days and have no rights, who are spit on and hated. She is the face of those who are bullied and abused…the face of the people who just try to survive, who carry burdens and pain we cannot fathom. Leah actually translates from the Hebrew as “weary” or ‘tired”. And she stands with all of those who are weary in the midst of difficult lives and situations that are beyond their control. And I need to tell you that Leah, the “unchosen” one…has always been important to me. She’s always held part of my heart….because she was hurt by those who should have loved her. Who should have valued her. And I wanted to do better by her.
As many of you know…Leah (Lia) is the name I gave our second child. I chose it when I was weary…because this little one came in the midst of tears…and they were so…SO loved.
You see, after Kari was born, I had 5 miscarriages. No one except our parents knew because they all happened during that first trimester before we told everyone else…so we carried our grief alone. When I became pregnant with Lee, I was taking hormones that made me irritable and weepy and generally miserable…. and I was done. Emotionally exhausted. Weary. When I started bleeding at three months again…I assumed it was another miscarriage….but Lia…Lee… was still there. Their heart was still beating. They became my grace and hope and joy in the midst of tears and exhaustion. .
Leah’s story in the Bible is one of tears and weariness. This story of Leah we read this morning is a story of how blind we can so often be to the value of others….but how utterly precious they are to God. And history redeems Leah, you know. Because it is Leah…who is the mother of Judah…who is the ancestor of Jesus. Leah was chosen by God. Beloved of God. That the light of God, Jesus, might enter the world through her.
This story of Leah is for every person who is weary from carrying burdens that others may never see. It is for every person who feels unseen, who is unappreciated and devalued. It is for every person who has been used as a pawn in someone else’s game. It is for us…when life does not seem to be turning out so happily ever after. Whether we’re drowning in the waters or being scorched by the fires. This story of Leah and our Scripture this morning from Isaiah remind us that whatever we are going through…whatever has happened to us….God sees us and calls us by name…and says “you are mine”.
I choose you. I will be with you. You are beautiful in my eyes. Precious. Honored.
It does not matter what the world says…what others say…this is what God says. About you.
I’ve been thinking about Myrna Coan this week, after learning that she died of a heart attack on Monday. Myrna spent part of her career working for Social Security…so she had heard the stories of hundreds of folks who were down on their luck and who needed support along the way. People who had lost jobs or couldn’t hold jobs because of disabilities, sickness, accidents. People who lived with chronic pain. People who struggled to make it through the day and then were despised and ridiculed by others for being weak…or worthless…for not pulling their own weight. Myrna knew some of the burdens that others were carrying that we did not see. And so after she retired, she volunteered her time to help people navigate the system and get them signed up for disability and other benefits. I couldn’t tell you the exact number of folks she helped over the years …but I do know a whole lot of folks’ lives, in our church and in our community, were made livable because of her. A lot of folks who were tired and weary…and who many saw as just statistics…a strain on the economy…a burden to society. But to Myrna..they were beautiful children of God. Precious. Deserving of honor and respect and compassion.
We have such warped judgments of others in our world….people are only valued for their beauty…or bank accounts…or careers ….or income….or productivity. But God values each of us because we are exactly what God intended when God made us…each of us perfectly created to be the person we are… each of us crafted in God’s own image. And God values each of us…whatever we are going through….and gives up God’s own life for us.
I’m sure you’ve heard it said before…that everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about…so be kind. Always. Be. Kind. We may not know what battles others are fighting or burdens they are carrying…or how weary they may be….but God does. God knows our battles. Our burdens. And God sees us. Loves us. And Honors us. You are precious to God. Valued. And you know what? Like Leah…you are chosen. You were born so that Jesus might come into the world…so that light might shine through you. Amen.
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