Before Aisha appeared, there were three flocks of sheep lying by the well in the field. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. The Makiyayis were waiting by the well for all the flocks to be gathered together, then the stone would be rolled away and the sheep watered. Kamal thought differently, he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.” They said they couldn’t but as they spoke, Aisha appeared.

When Kamal saw Aisha…with her sheep, he went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth. He didn’t ask if it was right time or not. He didn’t consult the Makiyayis waiting if there were still other sheep /flock to be gathered.  He saw Aisha and broke protocol.  He did not just roll away the stone, he watered the flock of Abdul.

Kamal saw Aisha and went to work. She appeared and he went to duty.

Boy that stone was large! Did you see it? It was a large stone. It was that large the Makiyayis usually waited for all flocks to be gathered together before they rolled it away. Rolling it twice was not an option. And you missed the rolling, you came the next day. But Kamal, at the sight of Aisha was fired up and without delay rolled the stone away.

When you see the one you are attracted to and have connection with you would do incredible stuff without hesitation and without considering what the odds are.

When you see her you won’t be told what to do, you won’t even wait to be told what to do. You would care less who is watching and just get to work.

When you know, you know. When you know, you would put the work in. You won’t be cajoled. You won’t be coerced. You won’t be pressured.

Kamal didn’t develop muscles to roll away stone at that point and place. Kamal didn’t consider the size of the stone at that instant. He sure didn’t remember the custom at that second. He saw her, he stepped forward. He saw her, he put the work in. The energy was resident. The willpower was abundant. The sight of three Makiyayis was not strong enough to push him to do it. But at the sight of a babe…at the sight of Aisha…come on! Three Makiyayis could not bring that energy out of him. But one luscious, elegant babe showed up and all heaven broke loose.

Kamal didn’t only roll away the stone, he watered the flocks too! He practically swept her off her feet.

‘Then Kamal kissed Aisha, and lifted up his voice and wept.’ Gen 29:11

‘Then’ meaning it was not until he wooed her, until he put the work in, until he demonstrated commitment, not just interest (because you can be interested and not committed), until he declared openly to the Makiyayis present, that he stepped forward and vulnerably professed how he felt. He wept.

He wooed her first, guys.

He wooed her first before ‘asking her out’. He worked to win her love first. He served to get her attention first. He attended to her to gain her acceptance. He wooed her first before saying one word about himself. He wooed her. The dude put some work in!

Kamal Jacob set for us a pattern.

Roll away the stone. Water the flock. You may now kiss your bride.

Roll away the stone. Water the flock. You may now kiss your bride.

In that order, please.

Stop asking for boyfriend benefits when you are not one. Stop demanding affection when you aren’t showing commitment. Stop claiming ownership when you are not putting any work in. Because you don’t go for a ‘kiss’ when you haven’t ‘rolled away the stone.’ And you don’t stand to receive a ‘kiss’ when you haven’t ‘watered the flock.’ Put some visible, touchable, tangible effort in.

Woo her first!

Gen 29:10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.”

NB: Kamal and Aisha were interchanged for Jacob and Rachel.