How God Means for Good what Others Mean for Evil

Joseph said to his brothers, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” –Genesis 50:19-20

Joseph was just a young boy running into the field to check on his brothers for their father Israel. They hated the favored dreamer son of Israel with jealousy, seized the boy and threw him into an empty cistern to die while they ate a meal. Ishmaelite traders came by, and the brothers made a quick buck selling Joseph into slavery in Egypt instead, lying to their father about his son’s death and returning his gift to his son, a coat of many colors, with animal blood on it just to make it believable.

In Egypt, the now slave Joseph prospered his master’s household rather than his father’s back at home. Here, Joseph fought off sexual temptation with his master’s wife only to be falsely accused and sent to prison. Yet, in prison, the faithful Joseph was given favor by the prison warden through God’s providence to look over the prisoners.

Joseph helped a disgraced cupbearer be restored in Pharaoh’s home only to be forgotten. Joseph did not use loneliness in a dungeon and being forgotten by someone he helped as an excuse to sin. By God’s saving power, Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream of upcoming prosperity and famine to be prepared for. Pharaoh placed Joseph second in command in all of Egypt at the time famine reached the home of his father and brothers back in Canaan.

It is here in the story of Joseph I marvel at his faithfulness. He was hurt over the extent of many years by his brothers who wanted him dead. Now, with the might of the Egyptian Empire behind him, his brothers come at the end of their rope seeking mercy. The tables have turned. Will Joseph show wrath or will he show mercy?

We allow disappointments in our life to justify an angry treatment of those who offend us. Joseph could have justified sexual unfaithfulness with Potiphar’s wife as a stress relief from having been left for dead and sold into slavery. Joseph could use the egregious offenses of his brothers to show no mercy and even have his brothers killed in return. Temptation asks our hearts a question, and our answer exposes either faithfulness to our righteous God or draw us down the dark alleys of destruction.

We may think that humble service comes only when we are in a comfortable spot in life. If people treat me well, I’ll treat them well. Consider Joseph, then consider our Lord Jesus. God is glorified in a life of humble, faithful service when life is most uncomfortable. Joseph learned a faithful life under God’s care not in the comfortable environment of ease, but in a dungeon. Christ displayed the salvation of God not only in teaching, but in His willingness to lay down His life for sinners. You see, Joseph told his brothers that their offense which was meant for evil God meant good for them. Joseph went through all of these hardships for God to bless his evil brothers with good. They meant death, God gives life.

Christian, the battle is not only with the person in front of you no matter how offensive they are, but the battle is most deeply inside of you. Joseph was obedient in slavery, prison, and forgiving his brothers who wanted him dead and sold him into slavery, even through their lying to their father who suffered in anguish thinking his boy to be dead! Our Savior was faithful to the Father even unto death, even the humiliating death of a criminal on a cross. So, when your spouse offends you, friends betray you, or your neighbor offends you, by the mercy of God do good to them.

When you know who you are as an offender to a holy God and you know Christ who was crucified for you to reconcile you to a holy God who committed no offense to you, you can easily forgive those who offend you, exchange kindness and gentleness in the face of someone angry and wanting to offend you, and love those who hate you. In a local church filled with born-again saints understanding each other to be works in progress by His Holy Spirit, we enjoy Christ’s peace and love proving to be His disciples.

Heavenly Father, You place us in many hard places. Open our eyes to see hard times, offenses, and dungeons as opportunities to display Your grace through Christ who became a curse and endured the cross for us. Teach us to forgive just as You forgave us. Bless us with Your peace and joy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.