Dad and I loved the story of Joseph. It is such a fascinating consideration for me. Joseph, annoying, openly, and shamelessly favored. He is thoughtless, obtuse, and rubbing his good fortune into the narcissistic injuries of his brothers born to the bitter mother, never wanted, never loved, married because of deception.  

Envy, jealousy, favoritism, cruelty, I think about this as I meditate on the verse in Psalm 31, “The Lord preserves those who love Him but the proud He pays back in full.”  

Joseph was a proud young man sold into slavery, wrongly accused, thrown into prison. I didn’t remember until I reread the story that after he helped interpret the dream of the cup bearer to the Pharaoh, it was two more years of imprisonment before the man remembered and spoke to Pharaoh.  

I think of the brothers and their suffering. Their future generations would know the sting of Egyptian slavery. Years more of suffering, the sins of the fathers passed down to the third and fourth generations. 

How blessed the hope of Christ? He gives us a different view of God. The prodigal, proud, disobedient, reaps suffering and decides to return to the father. The father, instead of punishing the prodigal by slapping him and his offspring in chains, instead runs to the prodigal son offering him healing, forgiveness, and restoration.  

This is the Good News. What was once irreparable, unredeemable, and destined for destruction can, through the power of Christ, be transformed. When my eyes are proud, I can expect to be in opposition to God and paid back in full. When my eyes are on the Savior, I am redeemed. 

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people.” Genesis 50:20 

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