Sarai and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels from Egypt (Genesis 12:16). The couple returned to Canaan with all that they received from Egypt including their male and female servants. Remember, in Egypt, Sarai’s integrity was sacrificed so Abram could survive without the Egyptians attacking him. God intervened to rescue Sarai from the Pharaoh who had taken Sarai because Abram called her his sister. Back in Canaan, the couple lived their lives and continued their relationship with God. In fact, Abram and his cousin Lot parted and Lot chose the best land, Sarai did not complain. Abram and the men in his house had to go and rescue Lot because Lot and all he had were captured, Sarai did not complain that Lot chose the best and must suffer for it. Then in Genesis 15, God renewed his covenant with Abram and reiterated the promise to bless him with a child. “Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:4-6) Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. (Genesis 16:1-2) A lot happened when the couple returned from Egypt. Suddenly, Sarai had a plan to facilitate God’s promise. She looked through her household slaves and saw Hagar, a slave from Egypt. She scanned Hagar and realized that Hagar would be a good choice to help fulfil God’s promise. Sarai, a woman of class and beauty knew Abram’s taste and as such, she chose the slave girl who could be a good match. Abram had not complained that Sarai should have a child. In fact, Hagar was entirely Sarai’s plan to have a child. It was a common practice those days to have children through your slaves. After Sarai had perfectly crafted her plan, “she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.” (Genesis 16:2-4) Hagar wasn’t a bad choice after all. Abram agreed to Sarai’s plan and slept with Hagar. To be the wife of a powerful man like Abram was a big thing. Hagar became pregnant for Abram, the same thing Sarai had been waiting on for years. It must have been a great joy to Sarai and Abram. Sarai could have told Abram, “I told you that Hagar is a good choice” and Abram would have beamed with smiles. But, Hagar had another plan. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress and this situation didn’t go down well with Sarai. The plan seemed good until Sarai felt mocked and disrespected by Hagar. All that Sarai wanted was a child but she felt her position was threatened because her own slave girl was treating her with contempt. The result of this was Sarai’s maltreatment of Hagar until Hagar, the pregnant slave fled (Genesis 16:6). Sarai had a plan to have a child but she didn’t consider the potential effects of rivalry and disrespect. All this time, she had enjoyed the comfort of being Abram’s first lady. But she had a competitor, one Sarai herself planned and brought forth to Abram. Sarai’s baby plan worked, but she couldn’t stand disrespect and ridicule. The result was her harsh treatment of Hagar. Did Sarai count the cost? Was she scared of losing her position of love and affection? Did she lose her faith in God to fulfill His promise to them? Whatever happened to Sarai, resulted in bitterness and resentment towards her slave girl. The good plan became torn in her flesh. Hagar is pregnant but Sarai isn’t happy. The baby wasn’t the problem, Sarai had a deeper longing that was not satisfied by Hagar’s pregnancy. Sometimes, the things we crave for are not necessarily the things that bring satisfaction to our souls. Only God can satisfy our spiritual and physical emptiness. Sarai, instead of celebrating the pregnancy of Hagar, rather became a bitter woman. Be careful about what you long for, it can make or unmake you. As we ponder on Sarai’s attitude towards Hagar, it important to learn some lessons from Ephesians 4:31-32, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
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