- Scripture: Genesis 37:18–36
- The Anchor: “So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.” – Genesis 37:23–24 (ESV)
Joseph’s brothers saw him coming from afar and they plot to kill him. First, they think about murdering him, but Reuben has “mercy” and proposes the idea of putting him in a pit and then “rescuing him” in order to gain favor in the eyes of their father. When Joseph came, they stripped him of his robe and they threw him into the pit. Now the brothers, except Reuben I think, saw a caravan of Ishmaelites (Trans-Saharan trade route?!! like 5000 years off…) and they decided to sell Joseph in order to make a profit while getting rid of Joseph. When Reuben came back, he saw that Joseph was not there and he tore his clothes. They dipped the robe in blood to make it look like Joseph died, and then they came home to their father, who tore his clothes as well and weeped furiously. Meanwhile, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an officer to Pharaoh.
I notice that Reuben was kind of being nice-ish to Joseph, but I think he should have just let Joseph go completely and just scrapped the idea. It’s like being friends with someone and then pretending not to know them in public to look popular. His plan was also self-centered because he just wanted to enrich his own status rather than loving his brother. Sadly, we sometimes have this mindset as well. We use good deeds to make us look good rather than to genuinely help and serve other people.
Of course, we need to talk about God’s plan. There’s no way that Joseph and his brothers knew about the plan that would unfold in the very near future. Joseph wasn’t even thinking about being sold off to Egypt until he was taken by the caravan and somehow, God used that traumatizing and uncertain incident to put Joseph where he would be in the future to fulfill God’s Will.
Reflection
- You pointed out that Reuben’s plan was self-centered because he wanted to use a “good deed” to enrich his own status rather than to genuinely help his brother. When you do something kind or serve others at school, home, or church, are you doing it to make yourself look good, or out of a genuine desire to serve?
- Joseph had no idea that God was using a traumatizing and uncertain incident to position him exactly where he needed to be for the future. As you enjoy a chill season, celebrate major milestones like the senior banquet, and learn about massive truths like Jesus being our mediator at Ignite, does it give you peace to know that God’s invisible plan is always working behind the scenes of your life?
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the times my motives are self-centered and I use good deeds just to make myself look better in the eyes of others. Teach me to genuinely help and love the people around me without worrying about my own status. Thank You that even in times of uncertainty or unexpected trouble, Your sovereign plan is always moving to put me exactly where I need to be to fulfill Your will. Amen.