Devotion:
Read Genesis 45:1-7, 14-15.
Yesterday, we looked at some of the “backstory” for the life of Joseph. His earlier treatment by his brothers could have caused him to have deep-seated anger and even hatred toward them. When he rose to power in Egypt and suddenly stood before those brothers one day, it had to be tempting to him to throw them into slavery (or worse). He certainly had the means to exact revenge on them had he so chose.
But he chose another path. As he looked over all that had happened in his life, he saw God at work in it. And that understanding allowed him to show forgiveness and love toward his brothers. He is an inspiration to all of us who may at times want to take out our feelings of frustration or anger on others. We can instead live into our belief that God can take anything that happens in life and bring something good out of it. Most people would have sympathized with Joseph had he chosen to treat his brothers another way, but he took the opportunity to show them and the people of Egypt the way of God. We have those opportunities as well in life. There are times when most everyone around us would understand if we chose to deal with a situation like the rest of the world does, but when we choose to follow the way of our Lord, we become a witness to the power of God to change hearts and minds. To put it simply, we get to help God continue to create a better world.
Personal Worship Option:
Think about other people in your lifetime who have inspired you because they handled a situation according to the teaching of the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rather than the ways of the world. Renew your commitment today to represent God in how you handle those challenging times and relationships, rather than dealing with them according to the ways and thinking of this world.
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