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Jacob was a self-made man, a titan of the agriculture industry with great wealth and power. But his empire was a fragile one. Because he was dependent on the health of his livestock, the prosperity of his business was constantly at the mercy of the climate and disease from one year to the next. Drought and disease were always lurking threats. If that wasn’t enough, even once he had scratched and clawed his way to the top, he had to watch his back—his own uncle kept trying to rip him off. Perhaps, then, it’s not surprising that Jacob often felt that it was him against the world—that he had to look out for himself. He felt like he had to fight to get ahead. Jacob’s reliance on himself had helped him get the upper hand throughout his life, so he was determined to continue to take care of his own interests. But this approach didn’t always cause Jacob to make the best choices. While his intense drive played a role in his success, it had also caused him to lose sight of his own personal values. On one occasion, blatantly so. With more wealth at stake, he THE ABSENT GOD