It’s not safe to ignore our
, because we never know what’s going to come out of them. It’s always a
to our relationships, it’s always a threat to the things and the
that are most valuable to us.
Conversations are
sites. Words are
materials.
What
around, often
around.
This whole
, nation, could have easily fallen apart based on a single sentence from one
person.
25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed. —Genesis 37:25-27 NIV
39 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
2 The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. —Genesis 39:1-2 NIV
20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. —Genesis 39:20-21 NIV
things have been happening to
people for a long time.
God has been with
people in
times for a long time as well.
For all Joseph knows, this is his
in life for the
of his life. But day after day after day he
to
as if God is with him.
37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” —Genesis 41:37-40 NIV
42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” 2 He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.” —Genesis 42:1-2 NIV
6 Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked.
“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.” —Genesis 42:6-7 NIV
What do you do when you’ve got the
What happens when things turn around?
What happens when what goes around, comes around?
Those
Who knows what happened to him, or how he was
The
What was he worth and what he would be
What he could be
What do you do when you’ve got the power and your words determine the destiny of your enemy?
45 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. —Genesis 45:1-3 NIV
But they did not need to be
in his presence because Joseph had lived as if God was with him during his absence, and he kept
at bay.
You will never
the good that comes from the bad unless you recognize God was with you during the bad, and then
to play God when things are good.
18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your
,” they said. 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
—Genesis 50:18-21 NIV