A New Respect For Joseph

I left church yesterday with a new respect for Joseph. As many of you know, I attend 2 services on Sunday - the first at Emmanuel where the sermon is video-taped and the second at Calvary where we use that video for our sermon. So, I hear the sermon twice every week. Sounds like a lot but honestly, it's just good stuff.

Yesterday was the last sermon in the life of Joseph and it was on retribution. The reason I left with a new respect for Joseph is because he was in a position where he could have completely avenged himself for what his brothers did to him and yet he chose not to -- he chose forgiveness. Complete, without-any-strings forgiveness.

He held a political position second only to Pharaoh and subsequently had a LOT of power. He could have done whatever he wanted to do and been within legal limits. Not moral limits mind you, but legal. He also had anonymity as his brothers did not recognize him. He could have done away with all of them and nobody would have known the difference. Ah, nobody that is but Joseph himself....and of course God too. All that power at his fingertips and resources from the most powerful nation at his fingertips and yet he chose to do the morally right thing, the spiritually right thing. He didn't attempt to be God.

I've never had, and never will have, as much power and authority as Joseph. And yet I find myself continually choosing to attempt my own revenge, as if God can't do it far better than I can. I left challenged to walk the journey of forgiveness, and a difficult journey it is. I don't pretend to think it was easy for Joseph and sometimes reading the entire story in historical context we forget the human side of it and the fact that they struggled just as we do. I believe in the 22 years between when his brothers sold him as a slave and when they came begging for grain he entertained thoughts of revenge and perhaps even plotted their demise.

But in the end he left it in God's hands, recognized the greater purpose, and today looks into the face of his Savior. Sweet victory indeed.