The Story: Chapter 3 The Bible: Genesis 37
Yesterday we explored Jacob’s deception from the deceiving perspective. To use an old expression, What goes around comes around, and now 30 or 40 years later we see Jacob’s deception from the receiving perspective.
Genesis 37:29-33 Later Reuben returned to the cistern to find that Joseph was not in it! He tore his clothes, returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy isn’t there! And I, where can I go?” So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a young goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood. Then they brought the special tunic to their father and said, “We found this. Determine now whether it is your son’s tunic or not.” He recognized it and exclaimed, “It is my son’s tunic! A wild animal has eaten him! Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!”
In our story so far, Joseph’s brothers wanted to kill him; their mission was clear. Reuben, being the eldest, devised a plan to save Joseph by placing him in an empty cistern in order to rescue him at a later time. But Reuben’s plan was ruined when the brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmaelite caravan bound for Egypt. The brothers now turn to deception—deception with devastating consequences.
Perhaps the brothers thought Jacob’s grief would be temporary. Yes, he’ll be sad but he will get over it. Besides, he still has 11 sons. Things will quickly be back to normal routines. Never could they have anticipated the depth and scope of their father’s overwhelming grief.
Genesis 37:34-35 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and daughters stood by him to console him, but he refused to be consoled. “No,” he said, “I will go to the grave mourning my son.” So Joseph’s father wept for him.
I think of all the opportunities the brothers had to tell the truth, to own up to their deception. And yet they stood by to watch their father’s grief consumed him.
What is the lesson for us today? I doubt that many of us would face similar circumstances to any such degree as told in this story. Yet what about the little deceptions in which we often engage? Perhaps to console ourselves we give those deceptions innocuous labels: cutting corners; stretching the truth; little white lies, etc. Are those deceptions any less harmful? Any less sinful?
Today’s Prayer Suggestion: Take a moment to reflect on your own truthfulness. Check your heart for any habits of being less than honest in your interactions with others. Ask your Heavenly Father for forgiveness where needed; pray for courage to walk the path of honesty and truthfulness.
The devotional Tail of Two Goats Part 2: The Receiving End appeared first on Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com
Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com
The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® http://netbible.com copyright © 1996, 2019 used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
General format for WFMH devotionals will follow the pattern of chapters outlined in The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, M. Lucado & R. Frazee, Zondervan, 2005, 2008, 2011.
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