“I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” Genesis 45:4-5 (NIV)
Imagine yourself as Joseph in this situation. You are the youngest of ten brothers. Out of jealousy, your brothers put you in a hole next to a road and leave you to either die or be taken by strangers. You somehow survive and become a servant in the house of a wealthy family, where you rise to prominence due to your hard work and intelligence. Once again, you are betrayed, falsely accused, and thrown into prison. After some time, you help two fellow prisoners to gain their freedom. They promise to make your case of innocence known to the authorities, but they never do until a major crisis arises. You are summoned to use your God-given wisdom to interpret the disturbing dreams of a powerful leader, which you do successfully. You are set free again and enjoy the favor of those in authority when the most extraordinary thing happens. Your brothers show up desperate for food supplies during a famine. They are at your mercy. What do you do?
In Joseph’s case, he wastes no time before taking action that shows forgiveness.
“Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.” Colossians 3:13-14 (MSG)
This is the point of the story. Forgiveness means more than telling someone you forgive them. It is an action. We show forgiveness by extending grace and mercy in the same way Jesus does to us in our imperfections.
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 (NIV) Not only are we called to forgive others for the actions and attitudes we show, but we are also to treat ourselves the same way. Healthy people do not wallow in their past sins and misdeeds, beating themselves up about times that are gone and unchangeable. To be productive Christ-followers, we forgive ourselves, thank God for His unconditional love, and move forward in line with what we are called to do in serving others.
Prayer:
Father, help us to forgive more often, love more deeply, and seek Your guidance constantly. Open our eyes to the truth that we will see the most pressing situations around us where we can help. We want to be part of what is good and right. We need You and we ask You to show us the way. Amen
“And all the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry these bones will sing
Great are You, Lord”
© 2016 Jason Ingram/David Leonard/Leslie Gordon