From Eden to Egypt Day 48

3Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. 4And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

-Genesis 45:3-8 ( NKJV )

Joseph took his brothers through some hoops before revealing his identity to them.  He gave them grain,but told them not to return without their other brother, Benjamin. He played a trick on them and had them returned to his presence for questioning.  He used some deceptive measures in dealing with them.

He could have done more and worse.

Finally, Joseph cannot contain himself.  He orders everyone else out of the room, leaving him alone with his brothers.  He reveals his true identity.  He addressesthe elephant in the room before going any further.  He tels them to have no fear of him.  He assures them that God has ordained things to happen as they did in order to position him in Egypt.  He appears to be content with all that has transpired.

 

Joseph's brothers had every right to fear him.  He was sold into slavery by them.  The Bible doesn't say how they got hold of him.It doesn't tell us if Judah or one of the others grabbed the coat from him as the others pounced upon him.  We are not given the gross details of the incident.  However, I believe that the scenes of that incident played back in the minds of those men as they stood before Joseph that day. 

I figure that these guys probably trembled with fear.  Despite all of Joseph's assurances, these men had every reason to legitimately fear their own brother.  They probably felt that Joseph was ready to take full advantage of them and lord over them.  They probably realized how real his dreams had become on that day.

Reciprocity is one of those things that arises when we least expect it.  It comes about when we have let our guard down and we think that we have gotten away with whatever it is that we have done.  We believe that all is good until it shows up.  It borders somewhere between de ja vu and karma.  That's when we somehow catch our breath and simply submit to the will of God in whatever the situation.

Live without guilt and regrets.  Don't make the mistakes of these young men.  Just when they think that their plot has worked out for them, Joseph appears alive and in a position of power.  You don't know what the future holds for you or anyone else.  Your best bet would be to hold to the Golden Rule, live up to the first commandment and uphold the Law of Christ which is love.  Otherwise, you would have to watch your back every single waking moment of every single day.  Payback could be around the corner.  Fear and anxiety can wear you out and wear you down.  You don't have to live in fear.  Just live right.  Live right now.