Rule Like an Egyptian

Genesis 41:41-57

So Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge. He honors with him with fancy schmancy clothes and jewlery and names him as second-in-command. He tells him that "without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt." He then renames Joseph "Zaphenath-Paneah" which doesn't have quite the same ring to it. He also gives Joseph, or Zaph, a wife- Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Not long after, Joseph has two children Manasseh and Ephraim.

Joe does a good job saving up food for the time of famine. In fact, he saves so much that it is beyond measure. This lesson is confusing to me- it seems in direct contrast to Jesus' teaching about not building up for tomorrow in barns. Maybe the lesson is to examine your circumstance and do what is most appropriate.

This idea is a little scary- the phrase "situation ethics" is one that has been used only with contempt in religious circles that I've been a part of, but it seems like maybe there are times to save for tomorrow (a famine is coming, you're about to lose your job, your child is going through college?) and times when it's simple greed (you've won the lottery, you've got a massive pay raise, you can help others). Maybe I'm reading too much into this.

So when the famine hits, the hungy masses clammored to Pharaoh for food- and like a good leader, he says "go to Joseph and do what he tells you." All the countries come to Joseph to buy food.

Joe's a good bit beyond prison by now. And while things are going well, it seems that he's still harboring a little resentment toward his brothers- and understandably so. He names his first child Manasseh (probably "forget") because "God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." How do you get past the evil that men do and move on? Or is that what he's done- if I can just forget them, I won't bear this resentment.

Maybe the lesson is that sometimes forgetting is the best solution. If I bring up the past, I may spark painful memories and drudge up pain for others. Maybe I create awareness of something that someone else never knew about. Maybe I force a relationship that can only cause more stress and discomfort- so instead of trying to make a relationship work, I forgive, move on- and forge into new relationships. My legalistic nature strives to find people I've wronged in big and small ways and try to "make up for it" somehow, as if I could. And the result can be ripped open scabs and created resentment for people who never knew the wrongs existed in the first place. Or even awkward strains on relationships.

Joseph later gets the chance at reconcilliation. But he doesn't seek it out, it just happens. Maybe forgiveness happens when we can forget.

Father forgive us, we sure don't know what we're doing.