Why’d You Have To Go And Make Things So Complicated

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Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land.
When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.
He was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her. Genesis 34:1-3

Ever read a Bible story and think, why is this story in the Bible? Jacob’s granddaughter (probably a teenage girl) makes a deep impression on the impulsive son of Hamor. His name is Shechem. In youthful lust, he forces her to “lie” with him (euphemism for sexual relations). And all hell breaks loose. When Dinah’s brothers Simeon and Levi exact revenge, they kill all males related to Hamor- all the Hivites. Why did they have to go and make things so complicated.
They ask all the Hivites to be circumcised, which they do. Then, while they are recovering, they kill them with the sword.
If there is any lesson to exact from this turmoil, it would be that sin complicates and kills… it always has a penalty or consequence. Shechem’s sin would, and so would that of Jacob’s sons.

Have I discovered that revenge belongs to the Lord only? Am I impulsive and unwilling to wait for good things?

God, as this day begins, I pray for Your help along the way. Show me how to best use my time. Is there some creative way to show Jake how proud we are of him? Thank you for my family, especially my brothers.

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