Why
did God give Joseph's those dreams if they would only get him into trouble?
I have so many questions about this story. Pride, preference,
deception, and violence greet us early on in the story. Talk about family dysfunction, this story has
it all. I know favoritism exists in families,
having experienced it myself. My father’s
parents did little to hide the fact they loved the children of one of their
daughter’s more than the rest of the kids.
Genesis
37:3 (NIV)
“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.”
“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.”
But,
by the same token, my mother’s parents favored us. So the story of Jacob’s preference for Joseph
over his eleven brothers is credible.
The fact that Joseph was the baby of the family just adds fuel to the
flame. While this is normal in families,
most similar situations do not end in attempted murder.
The
significance for me in this story is in the questions it raises for me. If this situation did not exist, if the
brothers had not sold Joseph into slavery, what would our life look like
today? Did this action thousands of
years ago impact history? I am sure that
how I act today not only affects those around me now, but my descendants also.
Genesis
37:36 (NIV)
“ Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph
in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard.”
Slavery
changed Joseph, and he grew up and matured, losing the selfish ways of a child.
Had he been allowed to grow up at home he most likely would have grown out of
his exasperating behavior, most of us do.
Regardless, Joseph was used by God in a very big way, but he had much to
endure before the entire story would unfold.
Picture
a parallel; we have much to endure, many hardships to face before God uses us
fully. He has a plan for each one of us
and every morning we wake up and place our feet on the ground, is one more
opportunity to fulfill that plan.
Read Genesis 37 here
Listen to Genesis 37 here
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