Genesis 35,37,39: In Spite of Our Circumstances

Let's talk about Joseph for a minute. He was the favorite son of his father's favorite wife. Israel (formerly Jacob, God gave him a new name!) gave him a fancy robe but gave the rest of his brothers nothing. It's funny how Joseph's life is set up for trials from the beginning-- just because he was the favorite. Everyone hates the favorite.

And it turns out, he was even favored by God! Joseph had several dreams where his family bowed down to him. But perhaps Joseph was a little full of himself after all those years of being the favorite-- he made the mistake of bragging about his dreams (twice!) to his family.

So maybe Joseph was a bit of a jerk. Maybe he would be what we would consider "spoiled." He even seems to be a bit of a tattle-tale:

"...he (Joseph) decided  to report back to their father about things they (his brothers) were doing wrong." Genesis 37:2, The Voice (additions mine)

It is pretty standard for us to think oh poor Joseph! when we read about how he was thrown into a cistern and sold off to slavery, but it really is no wonder that his brothers hated him.

But God loved Joseph. Silly, spoiled, tattle-taling Joseph. And God was with him.

It is worth noting that Joseph does seem to be a cut above his other brothers, or at least the ones we know about. Take Ruben, the firstborn, who slept with his father's concubine without permission. Not exactly a stand up guy (though he does try to spare Joseph from the wrath of the brothers-- even if it is to save his own inheritance). And then there's Judah, who's sons are such abominations to the Lord that He strikes them dead. Judah who doesn't keep his promises to secure an heir for his line, so his daughter-in-law is forced to take "extreme measures."

So Joseph isn't exactly coming from a family of upstanding values. I suppose we can forgive him for being a little narcissistic in the beginning. God was certainly able to look past all of that. He blessed everything that Joseph did!

"And whatever Joseph did worked out well because the Eternal made it so." Genesis 39:23

When Joseph was a slave, he was blessed as the best slave and was given control over all of his master's property! When Joseph was falsely accused and a prisoner, God blessed him to be such a great prisoner (??) that he was put in charge of all the other inmates! He truly prospered whatever his situation.

And the blessings certainly didn't stop there. As we will read later, God uses Joseph to save a nation and his family from famine, preserving the line of Abraham through to another generation, and setting the scene for the development of the nation of Israel!

I love how the story of Joseph tells us that we truly cannot ever get into a place where God cannot bless us. Even if we make bad decisions, or even if we are punished for bad decisions we didn't make, God is not daunted. He will always make a way for His plan.