BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
Remember the story of Joseph and his brothers? You know how it starts... with jealousy and resentment.
Joseph is an obnoxious kid brother, favorite of his father
Jacob. He brags, he has a big mouth, he's a show-off. The brothers take him on the road and decide to knock him off.
But wait! Big bro Judah says...maybe we can make some $$$ and get rid of him just the same. So they sell him to a slave trader and boom-bam! He's out of their life...or so they think.
Fast forward 20 years. Joseph is now Numero Uno in Egypt. His good friend Pharoah makes him the boss of the entire country.
He predicts a famine and comes up with a plan to avoid death and destruction for the people. It works.
Enter Joseph's brothers, who need a favor. They have no inkling that the VIP they are dealing with is their long gone kid brother Joseph.
Joseph has a legitimate gripe against the brothers, but he wants to believe they've changed. He gets a bright idea. He hides his magic cup in the knapsack of other fav brother Benjamin.
After hosting a lunch with all the brothers he tells them someone stole his valuable cup. "Impossible!" says the brothers.
That's when Judah opens his big yap and says whoever stole it should be put to death. This is where "be careful what you wish for" comes in to play, because next thing you know, the cup is found in Benjamin's sack
Judah to the rescue. He offers to take his 'lil brother's place and pours out his heart to Joseph. Their
father is an old man still grieving for a special son who was killed 20 years ago. If anything happens to Benjamin, he will not survive.
Joseph is now satisfied that Judah found redemption and forgives the brothers.
“I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to
preserve your lives."
Genesis 45:4-5
