In today's passage Joseph finally reveals his true identity to his brothers. There are a lot of emotional layers in the scene. Joseph, I think, is struggling with how to handle the situation. Surely the temptation to seek revenge was in there somewhere...though it is never mentioned specifically. But why else would he play all those games with them? i.e. Putting the money back in their sack, placing the silver cup in Benjamin's sack and sending them on their way only to chase after them and accuse them of stealing it. The brothers certainly had reason to be afraid. Their spoiled little brother whom they sold into slavery now had their lives in his hand. He was in a position to treat them however he desired without consequence...except from his own conscience.
In the end, Joseph's conscience wins out. I mentioned in an earlier post that Joseph was like Nathaniel in that he was a man "in whom there was no deceit." He tried to "deceive" his brothers but he couldn't go through with it. Eventually he came to the point where he saw the hand of God in all the events of his life and decided he was where he was for a purpose...and if that purpose was to be fulfilled he had to continue to follow his sensitive and well-trained conscience.
My circumstances may not be as dramatic as Joseph's but I need to be ready, whatever my circumstances, to do the "right" thing. I believe God will use that in ways I cannot imagine.
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