BOTSWANA-BASED Zimbabwean author, musician, pastor and christian counsellor Melody Banda has said her latest book titled Watch out for Laban—Chief Breaker of Contracts touches on breaches of contract/agreements that is done repeatedly, most importantly revealing the intent of repeat and unrepentant offenders.
Published by Faithland Publishers in South Africa, the book zeroes in on character detection and discernment as it takes apart events that happened to Jacob in his relationship with Laban who was his uncle, cousin and became his employer and father-in-law, a story found in Genesis 29-31.
“The book touches on breaches of contract/agreements done repeatedly, most importantly revealing the intent of repeat and unrepentant offenders. An example of such intent is to vex one's soul to a point of giving up and allowing abuse to take over.
“This is a tool which was used during slavery and is still at work. The book touches on relationship management and relationship principles hidden in this story including those that were violated leading to Jacob suffering in Paddan-aram for 20 years,” Banda told Standard Style.
She said the book describes complications endured when an employer is unfaithful and reduces an employee's wages habitually and for his own reasons.
“The relationships we surround ourselves with will either cause us to thrive or fail. In the book I write about employer-employee, father-daughter, son-in-law - father-in-law, and abusive relationships to name just a few.
“When I looked at how much suffering is out there because of Laban and his agents, I felt compelled to write in order to set God's people free. That spirit which operated in Laban is still rampant in our day because spirits do not die, they just find new houses that are available for them to dwell in and influence.
“In so many ways, we have all dealt with crooks and deceptive people. We have handled disappointment at work; some handle it as we speak. We have been mishandled in relationships with people we trust or trusted,” she said.
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Banda said she decided to share the insights and revelation God gave her in this story to open the eyes of many and most importantly arm them with tools to win and give them hope because it's not over yet until God says it is.
“This book is a problem-solving tool because not only do I share insights, I also share how to manage these situations and these kinds of people. If you do not know Laban and what he does, you will die poor like Jacob almost did.
“I decided to pen this book because the story is very relevant now and will remain relevant to our lives including those of generations to come. It's a book for all people and all seasons. Humans are created to work; therefore so long as there are working lives, they will always meet Laban at work.
“So long as there is sin, oppression will occur; there will be a cruel father out there, an unfaithful relative, untrustworthy cousin, uncle or father-in-law. As long as women are being oppressed, a father will marry off a daughter to a man who doesn't love her as portrayed in the same story,” she added.
She said the book catered for everyone as there are business principles for successful practices as seen in the word of God.
“Every employee must read it so that they see God's plan for a working life as revealed by Jacob's approach.
"Women must read so that Leah's misery does not continue to be reproduced and perpetrated. Fathers must read in order to convert their minds about how they handle their daughters.
“Women must read in order to refuse mistreatment. Men must read to reject ill treatment by fathers-in-law. Sons must read to avoid being trained to be thieves as Laban did his. The cheater must read to repent and the cheated must read to conquer and be free. It's a book for everyone really.
“The book carries a message of hope at the end of the day. I reassure and reaffirm people's identity because it is the one that gives one's spirit fight for what they deserve.
"There is a provocation of the demand to realise one's potential as opposed to giving up to what Laban's system has forced one to do and become.
“We are all great in what God purposed for us and we must fight to be fulfilled in those areas, failing which we will be bitter regardless of how much earthly possessions we may accumulate. This book carries a message of rather being fulfilled than chase alternatives humans give us. Be steadfast in pursuing purpose, I write. Don't settle for Leah when what you want is Rachel,” she added.
