Love God | Understand Yourself | Serve Others

Genesis 42:6-7 (New International Version)
Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked. They replied, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

The last time Joseph had seen his brothers was as he was being carted off as a slave. His final vision of them would have been through panicked, tear-filled eyes, hoping that they would, at the last moment, relent in their cruelty. How could his own brothers do this? Of course they would have to stop, tell him it was all just a bad joke, and release him from the ropes that bound him. His heart must have broken as they turned their backs on him and allowed him to be taken away. In the years since that scene, Joseph has experienced so much pain, but has remained strong, trusting in God even when the people around him let Joseph down again and again.

Now, when he is at the pinnacle of earthly success, his stony-hearted brothers suddenly show up in his court, begging for food. The famine has reached Canaan, and their familes are starving. They have no idea that this powerful, strong, intimidating Egyptian official is the small, powerless brother who they betrayed so long ago. And as much as Joseph had tried to forget all that had been done to him, he had not. It’s not surprising that he doesn’t trust them. After all, these are the same men who seriously discussed killing him, and who then sold him into slavery. Can you imagine the turmoil Joseph must have experienced when they unexpectedly popped back into his life?

Almost 1200 years later, God sent the prophet Jeremiah to speak truth to the people, and when he experienced abuse at their hands he cried out to God in Jeremiah 18:23, “But you, Lord, know all their plots to kill me. Do not forgive their crimes or blot out their sins from your sight. Let them be overthrown before you; deal with them in the time of your anger.” (Or, here’s the Collver paraphrase of that verse: “Take them out, God, but wait until you’re in a really bad mood to do it!”)

It’s so very, very easy to imagine Joseph praying similar words to God when he sees his brothers walking through his heavily guarded doors. These men should have protected their littlest brother. They should have loved him and cared for him, even when he was bratty. They should have taught him and mentored him. But, instead, they tried to destroy him. And now their lives are in Joseph’s hands. If this was something that happened in 2013, the comments to the online report of the story would probably go something like this. “Fry ’em, Joseph!” or “Looks like it’s time for a little payback, eh?” or “Wow, I wish I had a chance like you have, Joseph. Show those jerks what it’s like to hurt.”

As they say in detective shows, Joseph had “means, motive and opportunity.”

But Joseph is a God-honoring man of deep integrity. Before he makes a decision about his brothers, Joseph wants to know if they’ve changed. He tests them over and over again, giving them chances to show that they have grown. Finally, it’s his brother Judah who convinces him. Judah had been the one to suggest selling Joseph into slavery instead of killing him outright. At this last test, Joseph tells the brothers that he will be keeping their youngest brother, Benjamin, as his slave in Egypt. Judah humbly steps forward and offers himself as slave in Benjamin’s place.

That’s when Joseph loses it. He kicks everyone out of the room except his brothers, and breaks down sobbing: “And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it” (45:2). He does something that our society would think was completely crazy: he forgives! He shocks his brothers by revealing that he is their brother Joseph, who they thought was gone forever. Then he orders them: “Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me– you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute'” (Genesis 45:9-11).

This is the passage I woke up thinking about this morning. Joseph’s brothers stood in front of him, guilty and deserving of judgment. Joseph had the power to destroy them– either by ordering them enslaved, imprisoned or killed, or by simply withholding the food they desperately needed. And yet he chose something so radically different. He not only provided the food, he also invited his entire family– including these brothers who had abused their position of authority over him– to move to Egypt to live under his protection and benevolence. In one broad, sweeping gesture, Joseph offered forgiveness and freedom.

Question…
When have you experienced unexpected forgiveness? Who do you pray would forgive you? Who in your life right now do you need to forgive?

Genesis 41:46-52 (The Message)
Joseph was thirty years old when he went to work for Pharaoh the king of Egypt. As soon as Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he began his work in Egypt. During the next seven years of plenty the land produced bumper crops. Joseph gathered up the food of the seven good years in Egypt and stored the food in cities. In each city he stockpiled surplus from the surrounding fields. Joseph collected so much grain– it was like the sand of the ocean!– that he finally quit keeping track. Joseph had two sons born to him before the years of famine came. Asenath, daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, was their mother. Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh (Forget), saying, “God made me forget all my hardships and my parental home.” He named his second son Ephraim (Double Prosperity), saying, “God has prospered me in the land of my sorrow.”

It’s amazing how quickly things can change. In a matter of minutes Joseph had gone from being the favorite, spoiled son to a slave bound for Egypt. Then from a trusted slave to a forgotten prisoner in a dingy jail. Now he had been taken from that jail right into the Pharaoh’s palace! He had been put in charge of the entire country of Egypt. In place of that colorful robe that his older brothers had so cruelly stolen from him, Joseph had been given the finest Egyptian clothes and jewelry. He had a chariot and driver at his disposal, and a signet ring symbolizing his power. Pharaoh presented him with a beautiful wife named Asenath.

Then Pharaoh even gives him a new name: “Zaphenath-paneah.” Can you imagine meeting with a new boss and being informed that you were being issued business cards with a completely different name. You would no longer be Bob or Jane or Hedy or Chuck, but Zaphenath-paneah. (You might not even be certain how to pronounce your new moniker!) No matter that you’ve carried that old name for your entire life. No matter that you may actually be attached to those syllables from your childhood. No matter that your parents thoughtfully chose that name for you at your birth. No discussion. The new name is yours.

We hear no word of objection or refusal from Joseph. He doesn’t even balk at this radical change of identity. In fact, he really seems to embrace it all. In today’s reading, we’re told that “as soon as Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he began his work in Egypt.” Joseph was eager to get started on his new life, and he dug right into the work. Who could blame him? Except for those first formative years in his father’s house, his life has been extremely difficult: betrayed by people who should have protected him, forced into slavery, falsely accused, cruelly imprisoned. A new chapter was beginning, and Joseph couldn’t wait to get started.

But it’s interesting… when Joseph and Asenath’s first son arrived, Joseph named him Manasseh, from the Hebrew word nāshâ, which means to forget. Joseph had accepted a new name and a new life in Egypt. But if “God made me forget all my hardships and my parental home,” as claimed in 41:50, why did he not choose a traditional Egyptian name for his firstborn son? Why did he instead choose a name that has Hebrew roots? His second son arrived, and was given the name Ephraim, which stems from the Hebrew word pārâ, meaning to be fruitful. It is still strongly reminiscent of a past Joseph claimed to have left behind: “God has prospered me in the land of my sorrow” (41:52).

The truth is, we are shaped by our past. Our experiences form how we think, how we react, how we feel. Our past can inform the choices we make in the present. But we are not limited by our past. There is no part of our lives that God cannot use for something good. Our positive experiences, God can use to comfort us in difficult times or to urge us on a healthy path. Our negative experiences, God can use to give us compassion, empathy, and wisdom. God specializes in taking the broken and damaged, and transforming it into something healing and redemptive! God will do this over and over again throughout scripture. Joseph’s impossible situation will be resolved into something powerful. The Israelites’ bondage in Egypt will demonstrate God’s love as they are freed and guided. The cross– a horrific device of torture and death– will be changed into a symbol of hope and redemption. The prejudice and violence of Saul will be miraculously altered into the wisdom and healing of Paul.

That transformation continues in our world today. We take part in this continuous re-shaping of our lives by allowing God in, and by making the conscious decision to open ourselves up to God’s guidance and love.

Question…
How easy or hard is it for you to trust in God’s care for you?

Genesis 41: 29-31, 34-36 (New Living Translation)
“The next seven years will be a period of great prosperity throughout the land of Egypt. But afterward there will be seven years of famine so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten in Egypt. Famine will destroy the land. This famine will be so severe that even the memory of the good years will be erased… Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven good years. Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away, and guard it so there will be food in the cities. That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt. Otherwise this famine will destroy the land.”

In our reading for today, Pharaoh finally received an explanation of his dreams. As promised, Joseph was able to deliver an interpretation that Pharaoh recognized as true. No doubt he would have much preferred to hear that he and his people would always be prosperous and safe, that the future was bright and worry-free. Instead, what he heard from Joseph was the difficult truth: there were difficult times ahead for Egypt, and Pharaoh must prepare. As challenging as that proclamation was, Pharaoh knew exactly how to proceed. Pharaoh’s plea for wisdom and direction had been answered. Joseph’s prayers for freedom and redemption had been answered, as well. He was elevated to the position of vizier, second-in-command for all of Egypt. (Quite the promotion for a recently imprisoned slave!)

When you’re faced with a crisis or an important decision, wouldn’t you just love to have such a clear-as-day sign dropped into your vision? Of course you would! It would be so fabulous to receive a dream that explained in detail what was coming, and to also have someone on hand to provide a definitive interpretation of that dream.

So… why doesn’t that happen? Why do some prayers seem to be answered immediately, and others not at all? Why do some people receive a clear answer to their divine inquiries, while others struggle to discern what to do? I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit since the bombing in Boston last Monday. So many stories are being told about that day. There were people who would usually have been standing close by the bombs, who, for some reason, decided to watch the race from a different location. People who ran faster– or slower– than usual, and so missed being in the danger zone at the time of the explosions. There were people who were spared. But there were also over 180 people who were in the direct path of fire and shrapnel. And there were three people, including an eight-year-old boy, who were killed as they watched the race.

The greatest spiritual crisis of my life so far occurred the summer of 2005. In May, my Grampa Bill died at the age of 87. It was not an unexpected death, as he had Alzheimers, but it was still hard on our family. I adored my grandfather. Then in June our eight-year-old nephew Jesse died in a backyard pool accident. Our hearts broke at the loss of this funny, darling, brilliant little boy. We packed our bags with several months worth of clothes and left Florida to be with our families in New York.

It was later that summer that my spirit broke. About a week after Jesse’s funeral we had been so happily surprised to find out that I was pregnant. In August I put my hands on my belly, which was just beginning to swell, and I prayed. I vowed to God that I would do everything in my power to keep this child safe, that I would do whatever was necessary. A few days later I miscarried. When I woke up in the recovery room of the hospital following surgery, there was a moment when I didn’t remember what had happened. My muscles felt heavy and relaxed from the anesthesia, and there was a warm blanket covering me from toes to chin. Then it hit me. A sweet nurse stood by my bed while I cried. Over the ensuing months, I felt so distant from God. I no longer knew how to speak with God, so I read the Psalms out loud, taking those ancient words of pain and hope as my prayers. And I looked at the ways that God reached out to people throughout the Bible.

Here’s what I learned from the interaction between Pharaoh and Joseph:

(1) We live in a world that is not perfect. I’m sure you’re not shocked by that statement. Pharaoh was faced with a famine that threatened the lives of his people. Today you don’t have to look far to see a myriad of examples for how messed up our world is. Bombings and violence. Cruelty and greed. War and confusion. Hate and disease. Sadness and death.

There are only two places in the Bible where we see creation as God originally intended it to be: Genesis 1 and Revelation 22. In those opening words of scripture, God looked at everything that was created and proclaimed it to be “very good” (1:31). Everything in perfect balance, all needs met, peace and creativity and vocation and relationship. Then, in the final chapter of the Bible, we read “No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there– no need for lamps or sun– for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever” (22:3-5). A restored, perfected relationship with the divine. A healed creation with full understanding of God’s presence and love.

Jesus’ life, death and resurrection points to the new age promised in Revelation. Jesus ushered in the Kingdom with his holy presence among us. But the Kingdom is not fully here yet. That, for me, is the most plaintive part of The Lord’s Prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Oh, God, let the peace of your Kingdom be realized in our world. Let the joy and wholeness experienced in heaven be brought to heal your creation. We’re promised that this will happen, that this is the future.

But… not yet. We live in an in-between time. Right now, storms still rage and destroy. People are still deceived and infected by evil. Diseases still attack, terrible choices are still made, accidents still happen. Human mistakes, natural laws, and plain-old evil wreak havoc with our lives.

(2) God knows this reality. God doesn’t always give us the answer we desire, but God will always give us the honest and right answer. Pharaoh wasn’t given good news by Joseph. What he did receive was a way to survive the coming challenges. Likewise, God is fully aware of what is going on around us, and will work within our situation for the best possible outcome. But that doesn’t mean that the path will be easy. It will just be easier than it would have been without God’s love guiding our way.

The most poignant example of this is Jesus’ heart-wrenching prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Knowing what lay immediately in front of him, he prayed: “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me.” Then he continued: “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39). God knew what needed to be done to restore wholeness in this broken world, and Jesus was willing to bear the burden for us. God will never– never!– leave us broken and alone. As a matter of fact, in Jesus, God has given everything so that we we can be made whole.

(3) No matter what is going on around you, God loves you with an undying love. Right before he was arrested, Jesus told his followers: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus knew that his friends were going to struggle mightily after he was no longer physically present to them, so he gave them this reminder that they would never be abandoned. These words are also for us!

“Trials and sorrows” in your life do not indicate the absence of God. God seeks to bring us peace in so many ways: through promises in scripture, through a loved one’s touch, through calm felt during prayer, through the kindness of strangers. Just as there is a lot of not-so-good between Genesis 1 and Revelation 22, there is also a whole lot of good. That’s because God is constantly working in us and through us.

I don’t doubt that God grieves now with the families and friends of the four people who died in Boston at the hands of the bombers, and all those who were injured as they ran or watched from the sidelines. I don’t doubt that God’s heart broke when the Tsarnaev boys turned away from God’s love to act in a despicably violent way. I don’t doubt that God’s heart aches when the people God created are hurting.

In this in-between time, I don’t doubt that God knows exactly what your current struggles are, and is seeking to heal your spirit, so that you would know how deeply loved you are. Always and forever.

Question…
If someone asked you where God was in an incident like the bombing at the Boston Marathon, how would you respond?

Genesis 41:14-16 (New American Standard Bible)
Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

By the time we get to today’s passage in Joseph’s story, he has already experienced an incredible rollercoaster of a life. He was Jacob’s youngest, favorite, spoiled son. He was almost murdered by his older brothers, who, as a less violent alternative, decided to sell him into slavery. As a slave in Egypt, he rose to a position of influence in the household of Potiphar, but then was thrown into prison when he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife. While in prison he successfully interpreted the dreams of two fellow prisoners, one of whom, after his release, promptly forgot all about Joseph. Joseph has now languished in prison for several long years. The Hebrew word used in verse 14 above for “dungeon” is bor, which can also be translated as pit, cistern, or well. This is the same word that was used for the pit into which the brothers had thrown Joseph in 37:22. From one pit to another. And Joseph waited. And waited.

Then suddenly, the doors to his prison are thrown open, and he is taken into the light. It must have been pretty shocking to be hauled out, cleaned up, and presented to the most powerful person in Egypt. Pharaoh tells Joseph that he’s heard about his ability to interpret dreams, and gives him the opportunity to demonstrate his talent. But unlike the previous counselors– the “wise men” who have stood recently in front of Pharaoh– Joseph does not grovel, brag, or prevaricate. He simply replies, “It is beyond my power to do this, but God can tell you what it means and set you at ease” (New Living Translation).

This humble statement must have absolutely floored Pharaoh and the people of the court listening in. If any of those disgraced counselors were standing nearby, they would have been appalled– clearly this guy had no idea how to handle Pharaoh!

In Matthew 5:5, Jesus tells a gathered crowd that “God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.” That is such very different advice than we’re often given by the world. We’re taught to be assertive or even aggressive, to be strong, independent, tough and callous. In the midst of a world clamoring for attention at center-stage, it is ironic that a humble, loving, gentle attitude can be a true scene-stealer.

Question…
What character traits would you say are most valued by the world around you? What is your understanding of how God wants you to act in your daily life? How is it challenging for you to live as a Christ-follower?

Genesis 41:1-8 (The Message)
Two years passed and Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile River. Seven cows came up out of the Nile, all shimmering with health, and grazed on the marsh grass. Then seven other cows, all skin and bones, came up out of the river after them and stood by them on the bank of the Nile. The skinny cows ate the seven healthy cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. He went back to sleep and dreamed a second time: Seven ears of grain, full-bodied and lush, grew out of a single stalk. Then seven more ears grew up, but these were thin and dried out by the east wind. The thin ears swallowed up the full, healthy ears. Then Pharaoh woke up– another dream. When morning came, he was upset. He sent for all the magicians and sages of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but they couldn’t interpret them to him.

The understanding of dreams and their interpretation has changed a great deal since Joseph’s time. Eminent psychologists such as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung believed that dreams were not divine in nature, but an expression of what is going on in the person’s life, emotions and mind.

In his book The Interpretation of Dreams, Freud stated that dreams are primarily wish-fulfillment. He believed that a systematic analysis of the dreams could yield an understanding of the person’s underlying psychological structures. Carl Jung– a colleague and eventual rival of Freud– believed that dreams are “a spontaneous self-portrayal, in symbolic form, of the actual situation of the unconscious.” By analyzing the dreams through the use of “archetypes,” or symbols, Jung believed that we could learn what was going on in the unconscious mind. There are many other modern techniques for interpreting dreams, but most of these methods understand dreams as a physiological or psychological sign of what is happening “behind the scenes” in a person’s subconscious.

This is a very different way of looking at dreams than the biblical one. Throughout Joseph’s story, dreams are used by God for direct communication: warnings, promises, guidance, comfort.

Pharaoh recognized the importance of his dreams, and was therefore desperate to have someone interpret them correctly. He was surrounded by “wise men” who tried to explain the dreams that had so disturbed his sleep. No doubt they each tried to come up with plausible, and flattering, interpretations. After all, this powerful ruler could lift them up or destroy them with a word. But for all their wisdom and cunning, they could not do it. Pharaoh, considered to be the most powerful man in his world, was powerless in the face of his dreams.

Tomorrow we’ll look at the only person who could interpret for him… a slave named Joseph.

Question…
If you were in Pharaoh’s shoes, how might you have felt when the wise men were unable to help? Have you ever experienced a troubling dream that stayed with you after you awoke?

Genesis 39:1-3 (New Living Translation)
When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.

Last week we watched young Joseph as he was sold into slavery by his older brothers. By the time of today’s reading, he is now in Egypt and the slave traders have sold him to Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. Joseph is intelligent and efficient, and quickly rises up through the ranks to work as Potiphar’s household manager. Joseph is now in a high-ranking position in a prestigious household in a prosperous nation. Sounds pretty good, right?

Except for a few tiny, small details. Like that fact that Joseph is still a slave. He’s a well-fed, well-clothed, well-housed slave, but still a slave. He receives no salary. His efforts serve only to care for the person who purchased him like a new sofa or bookcase. Joseph is accorded no retirement provisions, no home of his own to escape to on the weekends. He has no family, no connections. He has no guarantee for the future, and is entirely at the mercy of his owner.

Most people have, at some point, worked at a job that was painful. A job that was a bad fit for your abilities. A job that provided an unsurmountable amount of work for a ridiculously small amount of pay. A job with a critical or spiteful boss. A job that was degrading or abusive or unhealthy. A job that for some reason was a horrible, appalling, painful experience. (You may be in that situation right now.) When I was very young, I took a job that I almost immediately knew was a mistake. My boss was a charming person when clients were around, but terrorized the staff in the privacy of the office. The first week on the job my boss gave me this advice: “Never say thank you to someone. If you say thanks, then they know they’ve done you a favor, and they’ll expect you to pay it back some day. Never, never, never say thanks.” I decided to ignore the advice, but it was a good indication of what was to come in that workplace.

If we read that Joseph had spent his days uninspiredly plodding along in Potiphar’s household, just doing the minimum to get by, it would have been entirely understandable, wouldn’t it? But, instead, we see this young man using the abilities and gifts given to him by God in the midst of terrible circumstances. He made the decision to give his all, even though he was constrained by his imposed servitude.

Being a Christ-follower is not just about attending church on the weekend, or serving people in need. It is about living every part of our lives– every moment, every interaction– in a way that honors God. Including our time at work! In his letter to the Colossian church, Paul gave this advice: “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” (3:23). Wherever we are, whatever we’re doing, we’re called to do it to the best of our God-given ability.

Now, a quick aside. I want you to hear this clearly: God does not want you to be a slave. Jesus came to release us from bondage and to give us a deep awareness of the freedom of our souls. If you are in a work situation that is abusive, degrading, or otherwise damaging to you, please seek help to find a way out! God is endlessly faithful and loving, and wants you to know that faithfulness and love in every part of your life.

Jesus, the only Son of God, came to work in a world that showed him a distinct lack of respect. His work was censured by the exclusive club of religious elite. He took the job of offering God’s perfect, self-giving love to the world, and was rewarded with death. But he knew all of this when he accepted the assignment. And he still was willing to share his love, grace, and power with us. He still gave everything that he had, with great obedience and joy.

Each of us has an opportunity every single day to shock the world. Through simple words and actions, we can demonstrate an alternative way of living. We do this when we choose to use language to build people up rather than tear them down. When we say thank you to someone who has given us assistance. When we maintain calm in the midst of chaos, when we seek to correct injustice, when we do what is right even when no reward is expected. When we act in loving, honest, selfless ways, God rejoices! “This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers” (1 Timothy 4:10).

Question…
What frustrates you about your current employment situation? What do you enjoy about it? How can you increasingly work in a way that honors God?

Genesis 37:19-20 (The Message)
They spotted Joseph off in the distance. By the time he got to them they had cooked up a plot to kill him. The brothers were saying, “Here comes that dreamer. Let’s kill him and throw him into one of these old cisterns; we can say that a vicious animal ate him up. We’ll see what his dreams amount to.”

You think your family has issues? Well, you certainly may be right– most families do. But Joseph’s family is off-the-charts dysfunctional. After all, it is very rare to have family members actively plotting to kill each other. Family disagreements may be somewhat stressful, but they don’t often end in actual bloodshed.

Joseph was the youngest of Jacob’s sons, and was a bit of a socially clueless kid. He repeatedly told his big brothers about dreams that clearly had them bowing down in front of him. It’s not surprising that they were annoyed by this. “‘So! You’re going to rule us? You’re going to boss us around?’ And they hated him more than ever because of his dreams and the way he talked” (Genesis 37:8).

The dysfunction really shows up when we jump from that scene of fairly typical sibling squabbling to the conspiracy in today’s reading. The brothers decided to do away with the Joseph problem– permanently. As they were plotting what to do with the boy, a trading caravan passed by. The brothers leapt at the opportunity, and sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver. They told themselves that this was a good decision. At least they didn’t kill him!

I’m sure the fact that he hadn’t actually been murdered by his brothers was an immense comfort to the shackled and terrified Joseph as he traveled away from everything he knew to spend the rest of his life in captivity. (Slight sarcasm there.) What would lead someone to make such a terrible, destructive decision? And, perhaps even more importantly to us right now, how do we keep from making dangerous decisions?

I’d like to offer a simple process that I use whenever I’m faced with a choice.

First, stop and pray. Don’t laugh. I know this seems like a really obvious first step, but how many decisions do we make each day without asking God to be a part of it? Praying invites God to guide us. God knows the bigger picture, so doesn’t it make sense to ask for God’s wisdom? Praying also has the lovely side benefit of slowing us down, keeping us from rushing into an unhealthy choice.

Second, think about what the consequences might be for each possibility. Who will be affected, and what could the effect be? Part of this step is the “bracelet question.” Remember the WWJD? bracelets that people wore back in the 90s? “What Would Jesus Do?” Even though the fad passed, the question is still seriously valid. Based on what you know about Jesus, what decision do you believe he would he make, if faced with the same options? What is the most loving, most healing action you can take?

Third, if you’re still not sure, or if it is a major decision, run the options by people you trust. Ask people who are wiser than you are, people who will not just tell you whatever they think you want to hear, people who will lovingly tell you the truth even if the truth is hard.

Stop. Pray. Think. Ask. Then decide.

And, no matter how annoying your little brother is, resist the temptation to sell him into slavery. Always a good decision.

Question…
What is the process you go through when you make an important decision?

Genesis 29:14-20 (New Living Translation)
After Jacob had stayed with Laban for about a month, Laban said to him, “You shouldn’t work for me without pay just because we are relatives. Tell me how much your wages should be.” Now Laban had two daughters. The older daughter was named Leah, and the younger one was Rachel. There was no sparkle in Leah’s eyes, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face. Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.” Laban replied, “Agreed! I’d rather give her to you than to anyone else. Stay and work with me.” So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days.

There’s something about having a cold that makes me feel a bit whiny and peevish. But having had three colds in as many months, well, that makes me downright snarky. Luckily, I like that word a lot: snarky. Cantankerous, ornery, prickly, tetchy, grumpy. All good words, but, for me, snarky really hits the spot. It’s fun to say, too. Halfway between snarling and cranky.

We all feel snarky at some point in our lives. Perhaps, like me today, for a relatively lame reason like having a minor, temporary illness. Or perhaps you’ve felt snarky for a really, really good reason.

Leah had abundant excuse to feel snarky. As Laban’s eldest daughter, she was the most likely candidate to marry Jacob when he arrived on the scene. But Leah had a drop-dead gorgeous, younger sister named Rachel. And Jacob fell hard for her. After Jacob worked seven years to earn the right to marry Rachel, who did Laban put into Jacob’s bed? Leah! Can you imagine the scene when Jacob realized he’d been tricked? It could not have been pleasant for poor Leah. Then the disappointment she must have experienced when Jacob was not content to have her as his only wife, but instead agreed to work an additional seven years if he could also marry Rachel. Leah must have lived every day with the knowledge that she was the wife Jacob didn’t want, while Rachel was the woman he worked for fourteen long years to marry.

Leah gave birth to four sons in rapid succession. The first three, she named out of her sadness. Reuben, from the Hebrew r’u ben: “See, a son.” When Leah held her newborn baby, she proclaimed, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.” But Jacob did not. Next, Simeon arrived, from sham’a/shim’on, “has heard.” Leah sadly stated, “The Lord heard that I was unloved and has given me another son.” Still she did not get the love for which she hoped. Then Levi, the third son, was born, from yilaveh/levi, “will join.” Leah exclaimed, “Surely this time my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!” But this was not to be.

My heart breaks for Leah. I wish that her path had been different, and that she had had a husband who adored her. She was trapped in a loveless marriage, with no way out. And so she turned to God. When her fourth son was born, she named him Judah: “Now I will praise the Lord!” I am deeply grateful to God that she was able to find hope and solace in the God who loved her without limits. It was this last son, born in praise and joy, who would become the ancestor of Jesus.

I pray that you would be surrounded by people who know your true worth and who show their love in wonderful ways. I pray that you would reach the goals you’ve set for yourself in life. I pray that you would walk always in health and joy. But the reality is that our lives will not always be perfect. Things will not always go according to our plans. Sometimes we’ll be frustrated or confused or unsure. In times like that, it is such a comfort to remember God’s never-ending love for us. “Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands” (Deuteronomy 7:9).

I think that’s a pretty good reason for being the opposite of snarky, eh?

Question…
On a scale of 1 to 10, what is your “snarkiness level” right now? When you find yourself feeling discouraged, annoyed, or frustrated, what do you do?

* Translations from Robert Alter’s commentary on Genesis

Genesis 26:19-22 (New International Version)
Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him. Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah. He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.”

In most of our homes in the US, when we want a glass of water, it’s as easy as walking over to the faucet and turning it on. Or, if we have one of those fancy refrigerators, holding our glass under the spigot to receive an ice cold stream of filtered water. We don’t usually even consider how that water miraculously arrived in our kitchen. It is simply a given that when we need it, it will be available.

It was just a wee bit more complicated for people in biblical times. If you lived near a river, you could carry water back using large jugs, heavily balanced as you walked the uneven path home. But if you were settling down in an area without even a stream nearby, you would have to dig to reach water. The wells were dug by hand; it was difficult, dirty, and dangerous work. Imagine spending days digging out the ground and finally finding water, only to have another group of people come by and claim it for their own. How maddening! It’s not surprising that Isaac names the first well “Esek” before they move on– from the Hebrew word asaq, which means “to contend.”

They find another site that looks promising, and repeat the whole exercise. Digging, shoring up the sides of the well so it doesn’t collapse, digging more and more, and, eventually, water. I can almost hear the workers’ voices lifting in despair when Gerar’s herders show up again. Their increasing desperation is evident in the naming of this well: “Sitnah.” In Hebrew, sitna means “enemy” or “accusation.” After two failed attempts, surely it was time to pack it in. For all their efforts, they have nothing. The workers can’t even quench their own thirst from the water. Why don’t they just give up?

Simple. No water = no life. Their families and flocks were depending on them. So they pick up their stuff, walk along, find a new location, and start digging. Again. This time, finally, they’re left alone to enjoy the fruits of their three-times extended labor. They call this well “Rehoboth,” from the Hebrew noun rehob, “open place.” They now have access to life-preserving water. This well was a symbol of hope for Isaac and the people.

All of us know folks who are struggling. People who have been searching for employment, but no matter the number of résumés sent out, nothing happens. People who have been blindsided by unexpected, life-threatening illness. People yearning for a deep, meaningful relationship, but who have been disappointed time and time again. So many stories of challenge and of trying to discern God’s will. People who are so thirsty, and who seem to have in their past a string of wells-that-could-have-been. We know that every life has its ups and downs. But when you find yourself faced with a succession of downs, it can be profoundly discouraging.

In John’s gospel, Jesus sits by the side of another well, this one built by Isaac’s son Jacob. In the noontime heat, a woman approaches to draw water from the well. Scripture tells us that she had experienced her own long string of disappointments. No doubt she felt alone and bereft. Then she is engaged by Jesus in a deeply surprising conversation. Jesus tells her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).

This woman did not start her day expecting to find hope at the well. She did not expect to have her life transformed. She did not expect to come face to face with the Messiah. But that is exactly what happened.

Question…
What obstacles are you facing in your life right now? Who can you reach out to for the help you need? Where do you find hope in the midst of difficult times?