The Divided Heart
Genesis 31:14–21 (NASB95)
14Rachel and Leah said to him, “Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house? 15“Are we not reckoned by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and has also entirely consumed our purchase price. 16“Surely all the wealth which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you.” 17Then Jacob arose and put his children and his wives upon camels; 18and he drove away all his livestock and all his property which he had gathered, his acquired livestock which he had gathered in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s. 20And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. 21So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the Euphrates River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.
Jacob’s journey back to Canaan reveals the deep fractures in his family and the dangers of divided loyalties. Rachel and Leah agree to leave their father Laban, recognizing that he has treated them as outsiders and squandered their inheritance. They see Jacob’s wealth as just repayment for years of mistreatment. Their decision to follow Jacob is not just about family loyalty. It is a step of faith, trusting that God’s promise is better than what they left behind.
Jacob gathers his family and possessions and leaves quickly. He acts on God’s command, but he does so in secret. Rachel, meanwhile, steals her father’s household gods. These small idols were more than family heirlooms. They represented inheritance rights and were believed to hold spiritual power. Rachel’s theft shows that she still clings to the old ways, even as she follows Jacob and his God. This is syncretism—holding on to old beliefs while trying to serve the true God.
Rachel’s divided heart is a warning. She wants the blessings of God but keeps a backup plan rooted in her past. Many believers today face the same temptation. We trust God, but we also hold on to traditions, superstitions, or cultural habits that do not honor Him. We may mix faith with worldly values, thinking we can have both. This weakens our witness and our walk with God.
The church must guard against syncretism. God calls us to wholehearted devotion. We cannot serve God and idols, whether those idols are physical objects, money, status, or old habits. We must examine our hearts and let go of anything that competes with our loyalty to Christ. Only then can we experience the full blessing from following Him alone.