Family Feud

Genesis 37:3-4 (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.  When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. 

How does a family fall apart so completely that members stop talking to one another? How do they get to the point of hating each other?  What sort of evil can do this? I asked myself this question after reading the story of Joseph, a boy of seventeen, who was such an annoyance to his brothers they sold him into slavery and pretended he was dead. 

This story sounds extreme and makes me wonder just what Joseph did to cause such intense feelings on the part of his brothers. Emotions this strong don't happen overnight. Many of us can relate to some sort of family feud or division; like an aunt or uncle who have severed ties with the rest of the clan. Sometimes a sister and brother stop talking and attending family gatherings. How does this happen? 

As I was praying about these passages in Genesis and trying to ascertain their relationship to the Advent season it became clear that it was just this sort of brokenness Jesus came to mend.  It was because of the hearts that need softening and relationships that need repair that God sent Jesus to us.

Jesus came to teach humility.  His presence among us set an example for the ages. Remember a few years ago one of the popular pieces of jewelry was a bracelet with the initials WWJD inscribed. I find I still ask the question, “What would Jesus do,” when facing a difficult situation. It might sound trite, but it helps this writer to discern her next steps.

I realize there is much more to this chapter in Genesis.  There was much going on behind the scenes that had to happen so God could use Joseph to rescue his family and continue the lineage we recognize during the Christmas season. But one of the lessons we learn is that our broken world is in need of a redeemer to draw families together; to repair relationships. Jesus is the answer.

Genesis 37:2-11

Genesis 37:2-11 -- Joseph's Dream

Was Joseph a well-meaning if misunderstood young man or a bold braggart who enjoyed taunting his brothers?

Genesis 37:10-11 (MSG)
“When he told it to his father and brothers, his father reprimanded him: "What's with all this dreaming? Am I and your mother and your brothers all supposed to bow down to you?  Now his brothers were really jealous; but his father brooded over the whole business."

Other than the dream similarities between these stories in Genesis and the dreams Joseph, Mary’s husband, experienced, I am hard pressed to see a connection with the Christmas story and Advent.  I was afraid to say that out loud, thinking someone might take away my blogging rights, but as you can tell, it is mid-morning and I still have nothing I feel God nudging me to write.

I usually go my own way when this happens, but during this season that just doesn't seem right.  Perhaps DREAMS is the message, the connection.  When we pray for God’s intervention in our lives, our prayers take on a dream like quality.  We are to pray believing our prayers will be answered, but at times our prayers seem so big they are as dreams.

Only a God like the great big God we serve can turn our dreams into answered prayers.  The young Joseph from Genesis had been blessed with dreams that foretold of his future, but just maybe he was to keep them to himself for a time.  An older Joseph, who served as an earthly father for Jesus, encountered dreams as well, but these dreams needed to be spoken and acted upon.  Joseph’s dreams were meant to protect his charge, Jesus.  He could not ignore them, but had to act upon them immediately.

Is there a dream you have been given, one that needs you to act upon or pray about?  If you are called to act – then do so without delay.  But, if you sense the need to pray about it, or just keep it to yourself for a time, then do so.  God will nudge you when action is required on your part.

Read Genesis 37:2-11 here

Listen to Genesis 37:2-11 here