Working for Nothing

Gen 29:14 Laban said, "Yes, indeed, you are my own flesh and blood." Jacob
stayed there a whole month.
Gen 29:15 Laban said to Jacob, "You shouldn't work for me for nothing just
because you are my relative. How much pay do you want?"

In today's world - or at least the world where I live as a consultant, time
is money. The idea of giving of your time to something, without getting
paid for it, is quite foreign. I don't mean to something as a volunteer
worker e.g. you help out with the local Animal Hospital or something. I
mean real work - doing what you do for a profession, for free.
Jacob spent his time working for Laban for no reward other than the
privilege to stay in his home, and to see what was around. He was basically
just working in order to know what his options were.

Sometimes we would be in a place where we will have to work without getting
paid for it, in order to get to know the environment in which we are
working.