When we study the matriarchs of the Bible, one thing becomes clear—they were sharp, resourceful, and sometimes a little sneaky. Sarah, for example, could have taught a master class in eavesdropping. She always seemed to be nearby when Abraham was talking to God, and she even laughed at His promise of a son. Then, deciding to “help” God keep His word, she arranged for Abraham to have a child with her maid, Hagar. That plan backfired spectacularly, creating family tension that still echoes through history. Rebekah, following in her mother-in-law’s footsteps, had equally good hearing and a better imagination. When Isaac called Esau to receive the family blessing, Rebekah listened in, cooked up a plan, and sent Jacob in disguise to steal it. It worked—but it also fractured the family. This was not exactly what God meant when He designed marriage and home life. Apparently, “hearing” runs in the family, but listening to God does not always come naturally.
The stories of Abraham’s clan read like a case study in family dysfunction. There are lies, tricks, favoritism, and lots of finger-pointing. Isaac repeated his father’s deception by calling his wife his sister to save his own skin. Rebekah learned manipulation from her brother Laban, who later became the gold medalist in deceit. It really is “in the blood.” That same thread runs through all of humanity—from Eden to the present day. We are born with a knack for self-preservation and a talent for twisting truth. Families today are not that different. We compete when we should complement, criticize when we should encourage, and cover up instead of confessing. Yet God still works through our mess. He uses flawed families to accomplish perfect purposes. As Paul wrote, “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). There is hope even for households that could use a little less scheming and a lot more listening.
That hope finds its fulfillment in Jesus, whose bloodline includes all these imperfect people. Matthew’s genealogy makes no attempt to hide them—Sarah, Rebekah, and even their descendants appear right there in the family tree of the Messiah. Through Jesus, the curse in our blood is replaced by cleansing blood. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7). God was not ashamed to be called the God of Isaac, and He is not ashamed to be called ours. He redeems our family failures, rewrites our stories, and reminds us that grace, like sin, runs in the blood—but His runs deeper.