God Meant It For Good

   The story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) is remarkable for many reasons. Its storyline is rich in detail, its characters are relatable, and its message is appealing. Joseph was the firstborn son of Jacob’s favorite wife Rachel, was given a multicolored coat by his father, and enjoyed a privileged status among his many brothers. He was, however, hated by his siblings for capturing their father’s affections. At the earliest opportunity, Joseph was sold by his brothers to Ishmaelite slave traders and eventually ended up in an Egyptian prison for holding to the principles of his God. Although Joseph rose to become the assistant warden of the prison and eventually the right hand of the Egyptian king, the events that brought him to Egypt must have lived vividly in his memory. Such unthinkable evil might easily have twisted the heart of a lesser man into bitterness.

Joseph, however, had a different perspective. After his brothers came to Egypt for food in a time of severe famine, Joseph eventually revealed himself to them and shared his thoughts about their horrific shared past. “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50.20). How did Joseph maintain such a godly attitude towards the people who hated him?

First, Joseph kept his gaze on the bigger picture of how God was able to work with sinful people. Obviously, the Lord did not approve of the evil actions of Joseph’s brothers or cause them to sin. He did, however, use their hatred for His own purposes: to save the world through Abraham’s family. In the short term, that was accomplished by Joseph’s distribution of grain to a starving world in famine, including his own family (Genesis 41.57). In the long term, the family of Abraham would save all the families of the earth through Jesus Christ (Galatians 3.8). In following Joseph’s example, we must be more alert to the work of God than our own personal hurt if we desire to rid our lives of bitterness.

Secondly, Joseph left vengeance in the hands of God. After their father’s death, Joseph’s brothers feared delayed retribution and pleaded with Joseph to forgive them. After weeping at their distress, Joseph  assured them that he had no plans for revenge. “Do not fear, am I in the place of God?” (Genesis 50.19). Joseph’s actions mirror the commandment of Jesus to “love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” (Luke 6.35).

Regardless of how we are unjustly treated by others, there is no degree of evil that justifies bitterness of heart or action. Joseph relied on God to work through his difficult circumstances and was used by Him to save many lives. May we follow the same pattern!

Nathan