Read: Genesis 50:14-21,Romans 12:14-21
Have you ever been wronged or treated so badly despite being innocent and later the same people that mistreated you come back to you needing your mercy because they are in trouble? The story of Joseph and his brothers is a classic example of such a scenario.
After their father Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers were gripped with fear because they thought that Joseph would now turn against them and take revenge because of how they had mistreated him and even sold him out to Egypt many years back. Guilt -stricken, they send a message to him to spare them and even went and fell down before him and called themselves his slaves! They were literary at his mercy because it was through him that they came to Egypt when famine hit Canaan and even found favour with Pharaoh. Joseph’s reaction however is simply mind blowing. It is that of a man who had seen God fight His battles over the years. He understood that His enemies were God’s enemies. He held his peace because God had already humbled his brothers enough. The table had already been set before his enemies in his presence.(Psalm 23:5) His heart was settled, at peace and so pure. He assured them of his love and promised to continue showing them kindness because he understood that vengeance belongs to God and He was not God! They had planned to harm him but God turned it to be a set up for His elevation until he became the second in command after Pharaoh in Egypt.That’s how our God works and that is the exact attitude He expects you to have!
When you realize that God has actually turned the tables and your enemies are thoroughly humbled, what is your reaction?Is it an opportunity to make them pay or like Joseph do you quickly discern that it is actually a test of your heart and and an opportunity For God to glorify Himself?Are you going to take the place of God or are you willing to take a back seat and allow God to do the revenging because He said He will?(Rom 12:19).Are you going to be overcome with evil in your heart or are you willing to overcome the evil that was done to you with good?Well,its the best form of pain to an adversary,because it is like heaping hot coals on their heads. Every time you show kindness to an enemy,you confuse them because they don’t expect anything like that from you.
God didn’t make Joseph’s brothers to come and bow down before him without a reason.It was not about Joseph and the power he now had; it was rather an opportunity for His God to show up and announce to his brothers that He alone holds the destiny of man and no matter what He will always defend His own.Therefore,if such an opportunity ever presents itself to you,please don’t waste it by allowing your ego,pride and anger to get in the way of God.This is a class that God sets up for your enemies to teach them lessons about Him and His power that no matter how much you pray for them or preach to them they can never understand.So don’t distract them;make them as comfortable as possible, don’t bother them with many questions and don’t even try to bring history back.All you need to do is to sit back and let them learn in the school of God never to interfere with those that are called by His name.
Trust God when He asks you to leave vengeance to Him, because He knows exactly how to repay your enemies on your behalf in ways you never imagined possible.Do not fight;let God fight for you.
Selah.