Devotionals

Dinah's Walk

by Bolaji O.Timothy
05/07/20
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Dinah’s Walk (Walks of Regrets)

The story of Dinah the daughter of Jacob should highlight our curiosity into understanding the possible underlying desires of many young ones : boys and girls, young men and ladies who passionately  or desperately desire  to access freedom hastily, succumb to peer pressures and  nurse passive and active admiration for others who are not bounded by God’s rules!

It was a process, which though Dinah was ignorant off, as it is for many young ones today, but it was strategically weaved to deflate her glory and defile her future.

In the scene of this event, many questions need to be asked:

1.       Was it her first outing or she is been sneaking out!?

2.      What was the role of her parent in this scene of destroying her future?

3.      Who are those girls she passionately desires to see and be like and what do they stand for?

4.      Was she deceived into the wrong or  was it with her consent?

5.      Who was Shechem and his ways of life?

6.      What is the boundary of lust and love?

7.       What is the responsibility of patience in securing glory and making it shines?

Moade promised herself that she was going to enjoy her freedom whenever she gets to the campus. She passionately wanted admission in an institution far from home. She believed she will by this keep daddy and mummy far from close monitoring. She had secretly read many thought provoking romantic books, engaged in many crazy’s girls gist and often time, was abused  by her secret friends for being the supposed locked-home girl. She desperately wanted to break loose quickly and have full taste of her so called “enjoyment or freedom”  which some of her age mate are exposed to! This indeed happened, but with many obvious regrets now!

A young boy called  Ladip was privilege to have encountered the Lord while a teenager. He was carrying on well with the Lord. He was however called several names by his peers in schools as he desired and endeavour to follow the rule of the Lord. But one day, after being overwhelmed by the rules of God that tends to prevent him going astray, thinking he lacked the freedom like others, he asked in one of his pray time, “Why can’t I flirt around with girls like other boys”? Loving father is He. He replied him, “son, you are free to, but at the expense of the future I have for you!” Thank God he understood this message and sincerely, his live is presently garnished with testimonies and still promising, now that he is a matured adult!

Only very few of the teenagers or youth with such ambition or mindsets that want to walk by the rules of their peers are now free from the tormenting regrets reaped from such venture. Dinah and Shechem walked through that route! Walks of Regrets!

 The first verse of   Genesis 34, as presented in amplified bible stressed the responsibility of both of her parents in her(Dinah) life – v.9 Now Dinah daughter of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob, went out [unattended] to see the girls of the place.  However, Dinah exercised the privilege of choice making “she went out”.

NOTE: Irrespective of parent’s responsibilities to train, instruct, guide, and ensure discipline in the lives of their young ones, it must be understood that these young ones can make choices.  Wise choice making should also be part of the focus in child’s training! However, Dinah and Shechem exercised their choices wrongly and it harvested disasters!  Dinah choice deflated her glory and future potential, while Shechems’ choice led to  his destruction and  all the men in his city. She went out to see the daughters of the land. Obviously Dinah wanted to “Belong” hence initiating a relationship between two different  Spiritual cultures.  The untamed desire dented (humbled, defiled, and disgraced) her destiny. Her glory was drained!

Prince Shechem had carnal knowledge before he made moves to marry her.  This sounds like a fair deal, unfortunately it wasn’t! The process was initiated and monitored by deceit! Dinah’s brothers tricked Shechem and gave them a condition that weakened his countrymen.

Dinah may be getting consoled, by the marriage proposal (though not specified in the Bible) while Shechem before death was considering the additional gain the marriage union will bring to his land; a negotiation of deceit!

In Proverbs 14:12, There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

It is important to probe our desires, choices and decisions when it matters! Is God excluded,  partially or totally involved?