Daily Devotions
What Is the Most Important Quality To Look For In a Potential Mate?
Reading for January 7th: Genesis 24-25
"Let the young woman to whom I shall say, 'Please let down your jar that I may drink,' and who shall say, 'Drink, and I will water your camels'--let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master."
Genesis 24:14
The servant of Abraham could have proposed any test to God (i.e. "Let her be left handed..."), but the test he put forth in his prayer was hospitality.
What's lost on us in this story is what a high bar this servant set. He had traveled about 500 miles with ten camels carrying heavy loads on their backs. A thirsty camel can drink as many as 30 gallons of water. It would take more than a bucket or two of extra water to give all of these camels a drink. To water this many camels would be a huge undertaking!
Rebekah passed the test with flying colors! The text emphasizes how eager she was to get him water:
And she QUICKLY let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” So she QUICKLY emptied her jar into the trough and RAN again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. (Genesis 24:18-20)
Why would this servant place such a high priority upon hospitality? It's because he wanted to bring home a wife for Isaac that would meet his master's approval. This servant knew that Abraham was also eager to show kindness to strangers (see Gen 18:1-8), and that he would expect nothing less in his future daughter-in-law.
But someone will say, "Being a Christian is the most important quality to look for in a mate."
I agree. But is it not possible to be a Christian in name only? How do you know if someone is a sincere disciple? What does a true follower of Jesus Christ look like? (See Mt 20:28; Lk 22:27; Jn 13:1-17; Phil 2:5-7; 2 Cor 8:9)
Father, help those who are looking for a mate to find someone who puts the needs of others ahead of their own needs. More than that, help those who are looking for a mate to have a servant mindset themselves. And I pray that this quality will attract the right kind of person to them!
