Her large brown curls cascade around her face and fall loosely down her back, bouncing as she walks across the café floor. Others stop to stare at the green-eyed beauty. Her emerald green tunic accented with gold piping flows to her ankles and sways with each step.

This Patriarch’s wife commands the attention of everyone in the room without her even realizing it.

What grace and beauty she possesses. No wonder Jacob fell hard for this daughter of Laban.

I rise to greet her with the customary kiss on each cheek.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rachel.” I motion her to sit. “I hope it’s okay, but I’ve ordered us some herbal tea.”

“Sounds lovely.”

I set my recorder in front of us and press play. “My readers and I are excited to hear more about your love story. When you saw Jacob roll away that huge stone, what went through your mind?”

Redness rushes her cheeks and she giggles. “How strong and handsome he was. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him.”

“Was it love at first sight for you?”

“Definitely.”

“Where were you when Laban gave Leah to Jacob on your wedding night?”

Her eyes darken, brows pinch together. “I don’t remember. My father was clever at deceiving people. He tricked me that night and the next thing I knew Jacob was married to Leah.” 

“How did you feel?”

“How any woman in love would. Furious!! Outraged and deeply saddened. My love was betrothed and not to just anyone. To my sister.”

She clenches her hands into fists, holding them down on the table. Even after all these years, her body language betrays her anger.

“Did you and Leah not get along?”

“Like all sisters, we fought at times. But after that night things changed.”

“In what way?”

“We started competing for Jacob’s love.”

The waitress brings our tea, interrupting our conversation. I fill our cups with the peach herbal flavor and inhale the sweet aroma. I take a sip pondering how to ask the next series of questions. They will change the direction of our chat.

But every woman will want to know. “The competition started after Leah got pregnant, didn’t it?”

Her gaze follows a young mother carrying her sleeping child out the door. “Yes.” Her voice is hushed as if she didn’t want to awaken the young infant.

“Why didn’t you ask God for a child?”

“He was too busy giving Leah all the children!” Her eyes flash like a cobra ready to strike its prey.

Her anger has consumed her.

I glance at my final question. The biggie. The one I’ve been dying to ask.

I pause to gather my courage. “How could you be jealous of Leah when you had Jacob’s love?”

She purses her lips and leans back. “My desire was to have Jacob’s children. His love wasn’t enough, so I did everything I could think of to have a baby. Every time Leah got pregnant she threw it in my face.”

“And yet she wanted Jacob’s love, but you had it.”

She grips her cup tighter. “She couldn’t have it all.”

Wow. Each had something the other wanted. Neither was content with what they had.

I think of my own life. Am I content with what I have or do I long for more?

If I’m totally honest . . . yes.

I believe we probably all want more at one point in our lives.

We want to look like her or we want to have the high-paying job he has. Our contentment is never satisfied.

Was it wrong for Rachel to desire children? Of course not and she found joy, but it overtook her and in the end the one thing she longed for the most, cost her her life.

What price are we willing to pay for our longings?

God wants us to give our desires over to Him and to be content with what we have.

And wait upon Him for anything else.

He knows best.

What do you think of Rachel’s story? Are you content with what you have?

Proverbs 13:10 (KJV)

Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.