Joseph and forgiveness

"But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked ."- Luke 6:35

Of all the endearing qualities of the Bible, none is more striking or confirms the fact that the hand of God moved the writers of Scripture more than the fact that stories weren’t modified or altered to make individuals look better than they really were. Read something in the paper today or see a documentary on television, and you’re not at all certain that someone didn‘t put a spin on the story to make a client or hero look better–usually much better–than they are.

The Bible tells it all–the sordid details of human failure, the lust that turned gentleness into savagery, the failure of individuals who were godly but forgot their calling in a moment of passion, hatred, or greed.

Such emotions detail the account of brothers whose jealousy drove them to plot evil against their very own brother and daddy‘s favorite. You can read about it in the book of Genesis. The boy’s name was Joseph, and, if you recall the story, a compromise was made not to kill him but to sell him to Midianite slave traders who took the lad–probably in his late teens–to Egypt.

About a decade passed, and through a set of circumstances more bizarre than fiction, Joseph ended up being Prime Minister of Egypt–second only to Pharaoh. Furthermore, a major famine parched the Middle East, and Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt seeking humanitarian relief.

Eventually, the brothers faced their own brother, who was the Egyptian Prime Minister, but didn’t recognize him. Ten years had changed all of them. He was clean-shaven, dressed like an Egyptian. Who in their wildest imagination would have thought the scrawny kid sold for a few shekels to a bunch of slave traders would end up as the second most powerful man in all of Egypt? That was Joseph, and this was his moment for revenge–the hour he had lived for. Right? No! Based on the story written by Moses, Joseph had long since forgiven them.

The story is rich in insights for those who have been victims of wrongdoing. Joseph not only forgave them, but he also did them great good instead of exacting punishment or revenge. He brought down his father’s entire household and gave them some of the best land in Egypt for their flocks. Furthermore, his step of forgiveness resulted in complete restoration of his family.

Forgiveness means that I can trust Him who sees the sparrow fall to take note of the wrong that has been done to me. I can trust that God, in His own time and in His own way, will deal with the one who has wronged me. It means I refuse to exact an eye for an eye lest we both end up blind.

Forgiveness practices what Jesus taught as He said, "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" (Luke 6:27, 28). Easy? No! But it’s the only way to healing.

There is no loneliness as great as that which results in our imprisonment, brought on by anger, hatred, and the thirst for revenge. When you can‘t forgive, you are both victim and perpetrator, jailer and prisoner. Learn a lesson from Joseph who rose above revenge and lived with honor and fame. - Resource reading: Genesis 42-45

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