Leah is known for the bitter competition with her sister Rachel for the affections of their husband Jacob. Though the New Testament does not highlight her place in the genealogy of Jesus, her story echoes many of his other “mothers.” Most distinctively, she illustrates a universal human experience: We all want to be loved, faithfully and securely – and yet human love inevitably disappoints us. In the midst of this reality, God keeps showing compassion toward Leah in order to reorient her primary attachment to himself. Ultimately, Jesus most fully reveals God’s grace-given, person-specific, perfectly secure delight in us. Apart from Jesus, we starve ourselves and smother others. But when we receive the love of Jesus by faith, we smother people less and love people more, even becoming strong channels of God’s love toward them.

NOTE: Sinc ...