RICH TOWARDS ALL

DAY 60/366

In the story of Jacob and his sons read today, our focus is on love, however a love that is placed within a hierarchy. The opening words of the text presents all the emphasis we require:

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours (Genesis 37:3).

Hence, we are exposed to a situation that had all the potential to spiral out of control, and so it did.

It is quite interesting to explore the different strands of dynamics that underlay this story:

1. Jacob had shown in his dealings that he loved Joseph more, but had he perceived the implications and did he know that his other sons were aware of his bias? If he did, it didnt look like he did anything about it.

2. Did Joseph perceive that he was loved more than his brothers? If he did, would that have impacted his approach to their relationship with them?

While Joseph was thrown into a pit, his brothers sat around comfortably enjoying  meal, as though he was none existent. In  fact, had it not been for Reuben’s intervention, his life would have been forfeit. Beloved, there is a reason “the same God is rich to all with no distinction” and why His sun rises on both the good and the the bad, that is the posture of a father’s love.

Whether intentionally or not, among men, PREFERENCE and COMPARISON always bear in them the potential to breed resentment and anger.

#sly