Ponder: What a difference twenty years makes
Scripture: “Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers” (Exo. 44:33, NKJV).
Was Joseph getting even with his brothers for selling him into slavery? Not at all! He was testing them to see if they were the same conniving scoundrels they had been twenty years earlier.
They were clueless as to Joseph’s identity. Dressed in Egyptian clothing and speaking through an interpreter, he appeared to them as an ordinary governor of the land. The first time they came to buy grain he had tossed them all into prison, accusing them of being spies. He let them believe he was serious to see how they would react and to extract information about his father and younger brother, Benjamin.
Now they had returned for more grain, bringing Benjamin along as per Joseph’s demand. Joseph deliberately showed great favoritism to Benjamin, giving him five times as much food and clothing as he gave to the other brothers. Would they become envious as they had envied Joseph two decades ago?
The acid test came, however, when Joseph had his steward put his silver cup in Benjamin’s grain sack and then act as though Benjamin had stolen it. Joseph made the brothers believe he was going to keep Benjamin as his slave! That’s when Judah made an impassioned plea to serve in Benjamin’s place. Keep in mind that this is the same Judah who originated the idea to sell Joseph to the caravan of traders.
People can change! Joseph’s brothers felt guilty and condemned by God because they had abused their brother. Imagine their relief when Joseph forgave them.
You, too, can change. Your sins twenty years ago (or twenty minutes ago) don’t have to define you. Forgiveness through Christ is yours for the taking.
Hymn: “Room at the Cross”
Prayer: Gracious Father, thank You for giving us time and opportunity to change. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
