But they replied, "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?" Genesis 34:31
Jacob's sons appointed themselves as judge, jury, and executioner when their sister Dinah was raped by Shechem. They convinced Shechem and his father Hamor to have all the men circumcised. Then, Shechem would take Dinah as a wife. But all along, the plan was to weaken the city in order to affect revenge upon them for Shechem's actions. When every man was hurting, Simeon and Levi killed them and took all they had. The men of Shechem weren't blameless in their thinking. They merely saw an opportunity to increase their wealth. By doing this, they would have access to the flocks that belonged to Jacob.
I think one of the most amazing aspects of this story is the righteous indignation of Jacob's sons in light of where their story leads. Eventually, they will sell one of their brothers into slavery, yet they couldn't accept Shechem's sin. Jacob's reaction is also interesting. He is upset with his sons, as one would expect. But his concern is over how the Canaanites will treat him. He doesn't seem to care about the simple things - like deception and murder.
I wonder... if Jacob had addressed the real problem with his sons - the heart problem, would the outcome of their story have been different? Would Joseph have been sold into a life of slavery? Would Jacob have experienced the pain of losing his favorite son?
The story ends happily, but the road that leads there is full of lies and pain. All of it worked together for good because God had a plan from the very beginning, but the broken hearts were a high cost to pay.
Lord, help me to seek Your ways along the journey. I know Your plans will be successful, but I don't want a life of pain and trouble. I want to walk with You - to enjoy You - to live in peace and joy. Help me to seek Your face today.