The origin of the idiom “desperate times call for desperate measure” comes from the proverb, “Desperate diseases must have desperate remedies.” Historians credit the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates as the source of this concept. While studying the life of Jacob in the Old Testament, he finds himself in an awkward situation requiring desperate measures.
When Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, Send me away, that I may go to my own place and country. 26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know the work which I have done for you. 27 And Laban said to him, If I have found favor in your sight, I pray you [do not go]; for I have learned by experience and from the omens in divination that the Lord has favored me with blessings on your account. 28 He said, State your salary and I will give it. 29 Jacob answered him, You know how I have served you, and how your possessions, your cattle and sheep and goats, have fared with me. 30 For you had little before I came, and it has increased and multiplied abundantly; and the Lord has favored you with blessings wherever I turned. But now, when shall I provide for my own house also? 31 [Laban] said, What shall I give you? And Jacob said, You shall not give me anything, if you will do this one thing for me [of which I am about to tell you], and I will again feed and take care of your flock. 32 Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted animal and every black one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages. 33 So later when the matter of my wages is brought before you, my fair dealing will be evident and answer for me. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the sheep, if found with me, shall be counted as stolen. 34 And Laban said, Good; let it be done as you say, Genesis 30:25-34.
Jacob was a mamma’s boy who was likely walked all over by other dominant personalities his entire adult life. Uncle Laban used and abused Jacob for nearly two decades. Jacob’s come to Jesus moment occurs in a dream where God revealed to him Laban’s deception. Subsequently, God provides Jacob with a plan in the passage above to ensure he receives a fair share of Laban’s herd.
And Jacob noticed that Laban looked at him less favorably than before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, Return to the land of your fathers and to your people, and I will be with you. 4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock, 5 And he said to them, I see how your father looks at me, that he is not [friendly] toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my might and power. 7 But your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. 8 If he said, The speckled shall be your wages, then all the flock bore speckled; and if he said, The streaked shall be your hire, then all the flock bore streaked, Genesis 31:2-8.
While Jacob’s response to Laban’s shady business practices isn’t turning the other cheek, God uses this plan to teach Laban a life lesson about sowing and reaping, Galatians 6:6-7. As Jacob secretly puts God’s plan into action, one day Laban’s sons realize their once great inheritance has been slowly shifted into Jacob’s growing herd. When desperate times call for desperate measures in your own life, listen to the Lord for advice so that keeping in step with the Holy Spirit will be possible.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 