How many times have you heard these stories? Let's take another look at them...
How do you feel when someone on the team gets special treatment from your coach? What if their special treatment means your loss?
Do you sit by when others are being wronged? I saw a John Quinones special last night on "PrimeTime"... he was doing a special study on when people were stealing gas from others at the pump and watching gaging onlookers' reactions. Many just sat by and watched it happened. 3 people confronted the theif out of many who watched it happen over and over. What's your gut feeling? What do you do in those situations?
If nobody sees it... it isn't wrong right? If two adults want to have sex, you know... two "consentual partners" (I believe that's the legal term), whose business is it to say what's right or wrong? Did Joseph need a witness to determine if what he was doing was right or wrong? Gen 39:8-9
Favoritism breeds jealousy. Arrogance breeds jealousy. And, jealousy breeds hatred and wickedness.
Jacob showed favoritism toward Joseph. We still see favoritism today with parents, teachers, friends, etc. If you are the “favored one” it is hard to find anything wrong with it. However, if you have been the “other one” then you have probably struggled with jealousy and bitterness toward the favored person as well as frustration and disappointment toward the one showing favoritism.
It is hard to know whether Joseph was arrogant or ignorant. It seems he could have been arrogant in the way that he wore his special coat around his brothers and the way that he told the dreams with everyone bowing down to him. Even Jacob was upset with Joseph’s telling of the dream. If arrogance was the case, he completely disregarded how his actions made others feel. On the other hand, he could have just been ignorant, oblivious, or for the lack of a better word, clueless. He might have had no idea how his being favored affected others. Regardless, he was unaware of how his situation, his attitude, and his actions were affecting those around him.
think about it:
Do you show favoritism?
Do you have bitterness, jealousy, anger, disappointment, or frustration because of favoritism?
Are you so caught up in your world, that you are clueless to how your attitude and your actions affect others?
If so, how can you make things right in your heart and honor God?
Two other observations: mob-mentality and false accusations.
It is an amazing phenomenon that is referred to as “mob mentality”. People will do things in a group that they would not have done on their own. The problem is – just by being part of the group all parties are guilty of the wrong doing. Reuben was the only one who tried to stop the brothers. Think about your group. Would you speak up if they were contemplating doing something wrong or would you go along with the mob?
False accusations are everywhere in our world today. It seems that the idea of “innocent until proven guilty” has gone out the window. We now believe anything that is said to be truth! Joseph was put in jail because someone lied about him and people just believed it. Be careful. Don’t believe gossip. Don’t spread gossip. Give people the benefit of the doubt and seek the truth. Don’t judge based on empty words, you might just falsely judge an innocent man.
We see Joseph in the same position his dad, Jacob, was in: "down and out" almost... But God's word says that He was with Joseph. In the good times and the bad ones... check it out! Read that again... does that make you hopeful?
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