Joseph: A Story of Reconciliation and Emotional HealingExemplo

The story of Joseph begins with a relationally-splintered family. But this family is also special, because God chose them and promised Joseph’s great-grandfather, Abraham, that one day he will give them the land of Canaan, the land we know today as Israel.

The promise guarantees Abraham’s descendents will become a great nation and a blessing to the world. Over the span of many centuries, God plans to restore all people through this one family. In the meantime, they live as foreigners in Canaan. As a nomadic people, they sojourn throughout the region, living in tents and raising livestock.

This is where we meet Joseph, a 17-year-old who shepherds his father’s flocks and enjoys a position in the family as his father, Jacob’s, favorite child—evidenced by a coat of many colors. This infuriates Joseph’s half-brothers.

To make matters worse in this already complicated family dynamic, Joseph has a special ability: he dreams. He dreams of himself in places of power and prestige with his family bowing down to him.

The brothers grow more angry and jealous as a result. They feel rejected by their father and insulted by Joseph’s favored position, unique abilities, and outlandish dreams. These feelings quickly morph into a deep hatred for Joseph.

One day, they scheme together, and at the suggestion of Joseph’s brother Judah, the brothers throw him into a pit and then sell him as a slave to merchants on their way to Egypt. Then, the brothers lead their father to believe that Joseph was killed by a wild animal.

“I will go to my grave mourning for my son,” Jacob says, as he weeps.

In the meantime, an officer of Pharaoh in Egypt purchases Joseph as a slave.

This is undoubtedly a difficult start to our story. But the good news is this: we’ll see God orchestrating solutions in the background. Sometimes what he does will make sense to us. And sometimes, it might not. At times, we may not recognize God in the story unless the narrator or a character points us to him and his unfolding plan. But we’ll see as the story moves forward, God is moving on behalf of this family—especially Joseph—in powerful ways, to restore the family and even an entire nation!

Maybe you’ve known someone like Joseph, the favorite in the family or friend group who has everything handed to him and whom everyone seems to like best. Maybe you’ve felt the wound of rejection that Joseph’s brothers felt. Maybe, like Joseph, you’re someone with special gifts, but instead faces the resentment and jealousy of others on a regular basis. Maybe you’ve experienced the bitter taste of injustice and its effects on what you hold dear.

One thing is certain: both unusual favor and rejection are experiences that shape us. Sometimes, they can lead us to develop bitterness and hatred in our hearts. We may do desperate things in an effort to right a wrong our own way, to feel loved, or to eliminate whatever—or whomever—makes us feel unloved. Sometimes, though, these experiences shape us in ways that make us stronger and more compassionate. They often mark the beginning of a personal journey of growth, of healing, of becoming.

REFLECT

As you think about the beginning of the Joseph story, consider your own experiences of unusual favor or rejection. How have these experiences shaped you? How would you define the journey you’re on? Where do you need healing and restoration in your own heart?