Trust is a wonderful thing

Genesis 44:14-34

Trust is a wonderful thing, it builds families, marriages, business relationships and very close friendships; and the lack of trust is derived from a person or persons whose actions have broken the bond of faith, or confidence.  We see it all around us, neighbor with neighbor, and it may be as simple as breaking the promise to return an item borrowed.  But when it is in a family, it often takes on a pattern, the dad does not keep his promises, it may be to come home after work and play ball with a child, or it could be to keep the marriage vows he has made before God and witnesses; promises and vows that are broken bring about wounds and distrust.

Often, we can miss the pain and distrust when we read the Bible, Joseph has emotional scars from his ten older brothers who detested him, and if it were not for God putting into Reuben’s heart the fear of the Lord, they would have killed him, instead they sold him for twenty pieces of silver.  Joseph has them at his mercy, they can only believe what their eyes have seen, the silver cup was found in Benjamin’s sack; Benjamin is guilty, and they are in one big mess.

Do you recall what set the brothers off in the first place?  It was Joseph’s dream that they would bow down to him, and once more the brothers are bowing down at the feet of Joseph.  It seems as if Judah has become the spokesman for the group and this is his reply to Joseph’s question of, “What deed is this that you have done.”  Picking up the story in verse 16, “And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord?  What shall we speak?  Or how can we clear ourselves?  God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both he and we also in whose hand the cup has been found.  But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so!  Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant.  But as for you, go in peace to your father.”

It is at this point, Judah ask Joseph to allow him to speak and he reviews how his father had loved the older brother of Benjamin and that when Joseph was believed by the father to have been killed, he almost died of grief and how their father was not willing to let Benjamin go with them, but they convinced him it was the only way they would get food, and they had promised to bring Benjamin back to their father.  Picking up the story in verse 33, “Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.  For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me?  I fear to see the evil that would find my father.”

Jesus said, Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friend.” (John 15:13)  That was what Judah was willing to do for Benjamin, and that act of love removed the distrust, the pain, and filled Joseph’s heart with love for his brothers.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice