Genesis 50:21 “So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
Joseph said in verse 20, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” That was his internal processing of the bad that was done to him. Today’s passage is how he deals with those who have hurt him after God has worked on his heart and attitude. In Joseph’s quiet moments, I’m sure he smiled at how circumstances were such that his slavetrading brothers were brought before him. He may have thought about how he could have brought justice to them with his power. We may have witnessed some of this when they first came to Egypt, Gen 42. We often wish that those that hurt us would come to their senses and apologive profusely. We think that if they truly understood the situation, they would feel badly. Joseph had the power and the innocence which demanded this. Instead of saying, “don’t hurt us”, they should have been saying, “we are so sorry”. But Joseph is bigger than that. He doesn’t need to be proved right. He worked through all this with the verse 20 lesson. God was his sheperd who happened to bring him through a very rough life for a grand purpose. Jesus says in Luke 6:27, 28, “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies and do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you…” This is where Joseph was. It took many years to get there, but he didn’t let the monumental betrayal make him bitter. I’m sure he struggled and screamed in the loneliness of his prison cell. But God was always with Joseph and he always yielded to Him. So, also we need to not obsess on the injustice. We can’t ignore it or it’s pain. We need to bring it to God. Tell it to Him and allow our friends to be our sounding board. They can help bear our burden, Gal 6:2. It takes practice to be beyond the pain that we can do what Jesus says, “to bless those who curse us”. This is supernatural. We need His love and grace in our lives. Sometimes we do it by faith. The dark feeling may come up, but we say the quick, silent prayer and proceed with the blessing. Lord, thanks that You are working all for the good in us. Help us to bless our enemies and pray for those that pursecute us.