and he said…. “Forgiveness is Hard”

If you are not very familiar with the Old Testament, there is a story of Joseph who was the favorite son of his father.  His 10 older brothers hated this favoritism as well as the dream that Joseph had where they all bowed down to him so they devised a plot to kill him.  Ultimately they sold him into slavery instead and told their father he had been killed.

 And you thought your family had issues !

Back to the story, Joseph was a slave, then thrown into prison after being

falsely accused of rape, then he was rescued from prison because he could interpret dreams and the Pharaoh of Egypt (northeastern Africa) was in need of some dream help. Joseph proved to be useful and helpful and in a short period of time was on top in the African government next to pharaoh, married with two children when his brothers show up for some much needed food to keep their entire family clan from starving to death.

 So, here’s Joseph looking like an Egyptian, married to an Egyptian with Egyptian children and in control of all the grain in Egypt. Totally unrecognizable to his brothers, does he help them? Does he make himself known to them?

 Very interesting story found in Genesis chapters 37 – 50.

 The point of this blog is found in Genesis chapter 45.  I taught about this story to the children in Mozambique through Miguel, my interpreter.  The climax of the story, for me, is found in the moment when Joseph sends all of his Egyptian servants out of his presence and reveals himself to his brothers.  It is recorded in

 Genesis 45:2 “And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.”

Hurting people hurt people.  His brothers had caused him a life of much pain and misery but, at the same time, by selling him God had provided the way for the entire descendents of Jacob to be rescued in Africa by having Joseph there with food.  So, good and bad all worked out for the good of the family of Joseph and all his brothers.

 When I finished the story in Mozambique I asked for questions and comments.  A young boy with a large scar under his left eye said through Miguel….

“Forgiveness is hard.”

 He’s right. Forgiveness is hard.  It is the most important gift we can give someone and the hardest gift to let go of.  Give it away for if you keep it close to you it transforms into something other than forgiveness – if you hold it, it becomes regret and bitterness and eventually poison.  And you have it, stuck to you.

 Get rid of it, if you give it away it is forgiveness and it transforms into freedom for someone whether they deserve it or not.

 It is in the Lord’s Prayer….

 “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.”

I’ve shared this before it is a perfect example taken from a 4 or 5 year old reciting the  Lord’s prayer….

”Forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who throw trash into our trash baskets.”