Remember the original game show Family Feud? If you do, it will probably reveal a little about your age. Genesis 37 records real-life family tension between Joseph and his brothers. It stems from a couple of dreams that the “little” brother can’t wait to tell his family. The problem is that the dreams foretell a future relationship with the older brothers serving the younger brother, dreams that obviously didn’t go over very well with the older brothers.
It’s a sad thing when news from heaven, delivered through imperfect spokespersons, reveals our inner liabilities: anger, jealousy, envy and insecurity. What if the brothers instead had rejoiced over the insights? Perhaps God was speaking. They missed an opportunity to see God’s grander plan: He was going to use Joseph to facilitate their future. He would bring them into the promise, but only through the influence of the despised among the group! In fact, as a direct result of Joseph’s gifts and favor, his brothers would form the 12 tribes that would ultimately settle the land promised to their forefather, Abraham.
Pray this with me: “Lord, help me be more secure in Your future for my life instead of reacting to how You bring about Your blessing, sometimes through someone else. Who knows? You may be shaping MY future by revealing theirs. Forgive me for the times I’ve been angry or even had a simmering jealousy over someone else’s success. That’s not Your heart toward me, and it should not be my heart toward others. According to Your will, so be it!”
“Love does not envy … does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil.” 1 Cor. 13:4, 5 (NKJV)
==
By: Glenn Burris Jr., general supervisor
