A Quiet Man

... while Jacob was a quiet man.

 - From Genesis 25

The familiar tale of Esau and Jacob has so many colorings and points. I would like to dwell today, on this idea that Jacob was "quiet," fair, domestic. He was probably the artistic one. He was good in conversation. Esau would come in, loud and boisterous. He drew attention to himself all the time. He was skilled in battle, in livestock, and maybe in business (except that he sold his birthright). Esau was big, intimidating, bossy, and probably kind of a bully.

But Jacob kept to himself, stayed indoors. Maybe he knew how to sew. We know that he could cook. Jacob hung out with his mom a lot. He tended to her. She enjoyed his company. But Esau was a "man's man" that his Dad was proud to show off to his friends. When there was company, and Jacob walked in, Isaac probably blushed a little, and hoped he didn't say anything.

Why does God seem to choose people that are . . . well . . . lazy, ne'er-do-well, with none of the trappings of wealth or success? If God had to choose someone to carry forward his plan, and He could choose between a bold, loud, confident and pushy guy, versus a quiet, weak, soft-spoken, small guy . . . why does He always pick the little guy?

It says elsewhere in the Old Testament, many times, that the Hebrews were to take good care of the Scribes and Levites. While everybody else worked from sunrise to sundown, the Levites and Scribes spent all day in prayer, study, quiet, and gentle pursuits. Yet the people had to be reminded, in clear terms, of the value of these quiet servants that drew no attention to themselves. The people with the work ethic - well, we're going to take care of them, because they will not let us forget. 

It takes a firm and decisive directive from God, to make sure that the quiet prayerful ones (which are, therefore, very close to God) do not fall into poverty. Without God's leadership, the Type-A bossy guys would just as soon toss the "unproductive" artistic and studious ones out into the wilderness to fend for themselves.

Think about the quiet people in your life. Make a point to take care of them, notice them. For, they are not going to do anything to help you remember to. And yet they are the prayer warriors. They record our history. They teach our kids. They encourage us, if we'll listen.