I have always found this verse of scripture quite intriguing. As it were, Jacob read out
his will and distributed his estate to his children. Even at the point of death, Joseph
remained his favoured son and it reflected in what he bequeathed to him. He gave him
one portion more than his brothers. The interesting thing is the source of that extra
portion. According to Jacob, he acquired it when he fought the Amorites. Apart from this
passing reference, I am yet to find any other account of this battle anywhere. What is
generally known of Jacob is that he was a shepherd and an entrepreneur. The moral of
this is that everyone has their battle. For some, the battle is obvious for the world to see.
The vast majority of people battle with things that are far removed from public glare.
You will never know if they don’t tell you.
“If you are fighting some battles, never compare yourself with people you think are having it easy. Their own battle may be hidden.”
That leads us to some conclusions. If you are fighting some battles, never compare
yourself with people you think are having it easy. Their own battle may be hidden.
Secondly, if people act in ways inconsistent with your expectations, forbear. Allison Aars
said, “When you learn that a person’s behaviour has more to do with their own internal
struggle than you, you will learn grace”. Be gracious to people by forbearing and
forgiving them. That is the least you can do for those who are already sinking under the
weight of heavy personal conflicts.