QT 10/16/2025 Gen 26:12–22, Humility, how to do it

Genesis 26:12–22 (ESV) —

12 And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him, 13 and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. 14 He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him. 15 (Now the Philistines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father.) 16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”

17 So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the names that his father had given them. 19 But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, 20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah. 22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

 

NOTE: I had originally thought that Isaac had not met with much difficulty in his life (especially as compared to his father Abraham), and I now consider myself wrong. This is the third time that he faces a tough situation. His wife was barren for 20 years. He faced famine and tried to protect himself by claiming his wife was his sister. And now, his wealth, forces him to move to avoid conflict, leading to three new wells to appease inhabitants. The Philistines tell him, "… for you are much mightier than we." And yet, he did not use that position of power to force himself and his way upon others. When quarreling arose, he just dug another well. In that sense, he shows a lot of wisdom, especially for a man that seems "quiet" in the biblical story.

 

So what do we learn? Well, there is not much we can do when others "envy us," except the obvious, don't flaunt wealth, success, titles, or connections. You may not be able to stop envy, if God has blessed you, but I believe you are guilty of pride when you flaunt it. Flaunting does not have to be in your face. It can be an off-handed remark or something said in jest. Pride is one of my biggest tripping points. I'm grateful for what God has done in my life, but I need to live, at least toward others, as if those achievements didn't happen. In private I can thank God, but in public I might as well lived my life working but homeless. Well, I can't do that either. I just need to be more careful with my speech.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I regularly boast of wealth, success, titles, or people I know (knew)?
2. How can I be a servant, quiet and unassuming?

 

PRAYER: Father, I still fail many times in this area of pride. I do feel I am improving and much less likely to add some success or title to my introduction. I'm trying to focus on the now, doing grandparent day care with two adorable children. I want the focus to be on them and not what I used to be. Help me to learn this skill during these years of serving my grandchildren.