At this point in his narrative, Jacob, as a work-in-progress, is almost there. That pivotal moment that will transform his life will unfold in the next chapter. Slowly he is coming to trust God and act righteously. Now, in our passage, Jacob’s character arc is juxtaposed to Laban, who embodies the kind of person Jacob once was. When we consider Laban’s actions, we gain a better sense of the factors that keep individuals from experiencing the grace of conversion.