Trusting God's Plan in the Waiting: Lessons From the Life of Josephنموونە

WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE

Today’s reading has more backstabbing and drama than a daytime soap opera. Jacob sends Joseph out to bring yet another report on his brothers. Didn’t the last report cause a lot of friction in the family? I guess Jacob didn’t notice that.

Joseph eventually finds his brothers in a different place than he was told. To say they aren’t thrilled to see him is the understatement of the year. They actually plot to kill their little brother, all because of those crazy dreams he was bragging about. The plan - kill him and blame it on an animal attack. But big brother Reuben suggests throwing Joseph in a cistern, or a big well, just so he can come back later and get him out. After all, Joseph IS his brother. 

So here comes Joseph, wearing the same jealousy-inspiring coat painstakingly sewn by his father. His brothers grab that stinkin’ coat, strip it off, and throw him into an empty cistern.  Ironically, the coat represented the covering of his father’s love and protection, but now it was taken from him. I picture they cold-heartedly eat lunch close by, while Joseph screams his head off begging them to let him out.  It’s really quite a sad picture.

 An opportunity arises when a group of Ishmaelites, distant cousins of theirs, pass by heading to Egypt. So the brothers decided instead of killing Joseph, to sell him as a slave.  At least his blood would not be on their hands and they’d be rid of him for good. They pull Joseph out of the well and sell him for 20 shekels of silver. There’s a neatly hidden meaning in the 20 shekels that brings even more spiritual meaning to the story if you check out today’s “A Little Extra”. 

Sin usually involves the death or destruction of something. In this case, they cover up this heinous act by killing a goat and spreading its blood all over Joseph’s precious coat. But even worse, they later make their dad assume an animal killed Joseph. He’s grief-stricken beyond comfort.  Now they must live with the hidden guilt of this horrible betrayal.  

All the while, Joseph ends up being sold as a slave in Egypt to a guy named Potiphar, the captain of the guard for Pharaoh. This guy is like the head of Pharaoh's security detail. He’s a big deal with a very important boss. This divine connection will be one of the many ways Joseph’s setback will ultimately be a setup.  

 Can you relate to Joseph in this part of the story? He was doing what he thought was the right thing, checking in on his brothers, but it went horribly wrong. I doubt he would have gone to see them if he thought this could happen. Be reminded that God can use bad things to grow you and bring you into His ultimate plan for you. Preparing sometimes means prePARING, meaning stripping you of everything you’ve come to rely on to do something bigger and better through you.  Oh, Joseph is about to get a lot of preparing going on!

Questions:   

• Who do you identify with more, Joseph or his brothers?  Why?  
• Just like the brothers, have you ever lived with a hidden sin you knew might really hurt someone if you told the truth?  
• What takeaways did you get from today’s reading?