Mizpah

And Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me this day." Therefore its name was called Galeed, also Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us see, God is witness between you and me!" – Genesis 31:48-50

I have often seen Mizpah covenant necklaces and bracelets in Christian bookshops. They are a lovely gift that friends often share when they are going to be separated. They sell them in pairs with the token divided into two parts. They use part of the verse to remind each of the other. ‘The Lord watch between you and me when we are absent from each other.’

While it a lovely gesture it doesn’t exactly fit the circumstance. Laban and Jacob parted with a covenant and agreement, but it wasn’t necessarily the parting of two friends. Jacob could not understand why Laban could not leave him alone. No matter what he did Laban was always asking for more.

Finally he had enough. He was forced to confront Laban with his questions. Laban’s response was pretty simple. They set up a memorial and agreed to part. Laban sought God’s blessings on Jacob. He also laid aside his plans to protect his daughters by leaving it all in God’s hands. Then they parted ways.

Sadly, there are going to be people that, try as we both might, we are just not going to get along. They might even be Christians. We love them as brother or sister but sometimes our personalities are just going to clash.

When that happens sometimes we just have to agree to disagree, seek God’s blessings on each other, and leave all the rest in God’s hands. We can’t seek vengeance or to prove that we are right. Our pride cannot motivate. We must lovingly lay things aside and trust God to work everything out.

Lets be sure that any Mizpah we encounter is done is love and honours our Saviour. Who knows how God may work as we do so.