It's Complicated

Last Sunday in our Christian Education class, my children and I looked at the story of Joseph, son of Jacob. It is actually a very interesting story involving a lot of different characters, twists, motives, tragedy and hope. And like many other Bible stories that as children seemed very basic with “good guys” and “bad guys”, it is actually quite complicated and confusing throughout.


Jacob has three wives, and he favors one of them: Rachael. THIS is actually where the story of Joseph begins. In Genesis chapter 37 we see Joseph as a young man, his father's favorite. Joseph is young with many older adult brothers. These brothers hate Joseph and what he stands for in their minds. Joseph is the favorite son, of the favorite wife. They are second class citizens who long for their Father's approval and affection (as is poignantly seen when they seek to console their father in the coming tragedy). Joseph, being young and dealing with normal naive pride, doesn't always help his own situation. Let's look at verse 2 of chapter 37:


Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.


Joseph in his prized position is a “tattle-tale”. Jacob in the next verse gives Joseph a beautiful and likely very expensive coat which physically and visibly screamed to his older brothers: “I am better and more important to my father than you”. In addition to this, Joseph has several dreams (sent to him from the Lord) that he shares with his family. The point of the dreams is unmistakable to his brothers: “I am going to rule you, and you will bow down to me”. If you listen closely, even NOW you can hear the brother's blood boiling!!!! Even Jacob proclaims when he hears Joseph talk to him of the second dream:


When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”


However, the verse goes on to reveal that even in Jacob's incredulity, he heard something that rang true. He filed the dream and it's potential importance into the back of his mind.


The rest of the story, many of us remember: Joseph is sold into slavery, goes through many trials, is used providentially by God to protect and bless the people of Israel, and rules Egypt and his family with great wisdom and forgiveness.


What is interesting and revealing, is that the “problems” that led to the above reality and blessing of the family (and, thus the Nation of Israel) are complex and multi-faceted. In the midst of the struggle, neither Joseph, Jacob, or the brothers would have felt “blessed” by God in how things were playing out. Present were the sins of pride, hate, unforgiveness, favoritism, and deception. In addition, Jacob showed a great lack of wisdom and foresight in understanding the implication of his favoritism, and Joseph a great naivety in the way he approached his position and dreams.


So who caused the problems that led to Joseph's initial slavery? I submit that the problems were caused by everyone involved...including the Lord. The Lord did no evil, but in his providence stirred up jealous hearts that reacted to the revelation of Joseph's dreams. The Lord gave the truth of these dreams to a young, haughty, well meaning adolescent. Who among us would not have struggled with what Joseph struggled with in his position? Yet, Joseph later reveals that he has a real, enduring faith in God, and a tender heart to God's teaching and moving.


I believe the lesson for us is that our lives and the moving of God is more complicated than we will often admit to ourselves and others. It is a constant challenge for us to look for simplistic answers to our many inter-personal problems, sins, and blind spots and seek someone or something to blame...the whole time giving ourselves a free pass. Similarly, mistakes can be made by the insecure and over-sensitive; instead of seeing the multi-faceted nature in the conflict and tensions of having relationships in this life, and God's gracious work in the midst of the conflict, the spiritually fearful “take all the blame” for the sake of peace. But neither approach gets us closer to the truth, nor does it put us in line with the perspective and moving our our Lord.


The reality is that God is moving and working in His own way and time. There are many people that are often a part of our problems (starting with us!), and God is one of them. He is moving to stir up our messiness and heart attitudes that he is already aware of. He does it for his purposes, and for our blessing. Let us all open our hearts to the reality that our limited individual perspectives are just that...very limited. Let us seek God; his truth, his leading, his timing. Let us open our hearts to where he constantly wants to draw us to repentance, grace and hope knowing he is good, forgiving and in control


Thanks be to God.