Greater Things
There's a reason as to why we are discussing Jacob and his family here. Perhaps you didn't already know this, but Jacob was the grandson of Abraham who married Sarah so long ago. From them and the maid Hagar came Ishmael and after came Isaac. Now it matters a lot, considering that large sections of the world can trace their direct descent and lineage back to this land and this people. Whether you like it or not, most people in that day were in some way related. Now I know that was ancient history that happened ever so long ago and likely has no purpose to you today. Except though, it does because from there the rest of the world spread out. You can trace the migration of people and even the rise and fall of civilizations back through this land. It might not matter to you, but to some of us it matters a lot. When you talk about being culturally competent, this then is what you are speaking of. In cultural competence you know what is important to the that person and also know how to speak their own language. Perhaps you might not know any other languages save your own and that is okay. When you put down your own point of view though that keeps you at arms-length from each other, you will find you begin to imagine all sorts of things you never thought possible. Like the song says, 'you'll find I'm in a whole new world with you.'
We just discussed the physical blessings or domains of each of the sons. Now Jacob was indeed a powerful man to be able to offer each of his sons a blessing. Even more so imagine what strength and nature their mothers possessed. If only though they had walked uprightly. Then the trials and weaknesses that made each seem so small need not have happened. The effect of it then came to be rivalry and scheming, bitterness and jealousy. From there, it only spread to the rest of the house. You will notice that for each of the houses, their powers are left blank for a time. That is because they have spiritual powers or supernatural powers also that are distinctly different from the natural ones. Trust me, I would love to be able to reconcile the two but things just don't work out as neatly as you would think they should. With natural gifts, you wouldn't have the sharing and exchanging of powers. With spiritual ones or supernatural ones though you would. Some of them would be picked up by more than one brother or even bought, sold, or traded as the case may be.
That is how you have some tribes like Naphtali which by nature really ought to be in the middle of the vineyard with a cup somewhere. In Jacob's blessing though, at least three or four other brothers are drunk, and the cup is nowhere to be found. Then a prophet like Isaiah comes along with the rest of the history and quite accurately tells their whole future. Naphtali it seems, with their gift of good words and some of the powers of the cup, have made a place for themselves with another people. We will see more of it shortly. By doing so though, they have completely altered their burden and destiny and yes, even the house of their powers. Nor are they the only house to have done so, which in my opinion bears investigating if for nothing more than seeing the trace of the powers and their effects on the world. Could it be then that the physical powers are as the natural man without spiritual discernment.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ
1 Corinthians 2:14-16