Take Jacob, for example. Every group I’ve ever taught has been able to see how Jacob just doesn’t work as a moral example. He’s faithful to God but dishonest. He trusts God but also schemes unnecessarily. He loves his wife—well, one of them—but plays favorites with his kids. So the best thing to say about Jacob is not that he’s a good guy or a bad guy, but that he’s God’s guy. His life story is about God’s goodness amid the mess.
