“We would not do anything like that!”
That is what Joseph’s brothers said to the servant!
Joseph had put a cup in his brother Benjamin’s satchel. Then Joseph sent a servant to his brothers to accuse them of theft. What Joseph did is not the issue here. The issue is with the brothers.
It is true they had not stolen the cup! They could not conceive of doing such a thing. The sons of Jacob steal a cup!? From an important man!? Never!
Yet, they had done something much worse.
- First of all, they conceived murder in their minds. “Let’s kill him and throw his body into one of the wells” (Genesis 37:20). This is what they wanted to do to their little brother.
- Had it not been for Reuben, they would have killed Joseph . According to Reuben’s suggestion, they throw him in a well, not dead, but alive. (Genesis 37:21)
- Do you know what they did as Joseph was in the bottom of the well — no doubt calling for them to let him out? Crying. Begging! Pleading! I’ll tell you what they did. They sat down and ate lunch! (Genesis 37:25).
- Then Judah had an idea: “Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites. Then we will not be guilty of killing our brother. After all, he is our own flesh and blood” (Genesis 37:27). This was their own flesh and blood that they were about to sell into slavery!
- Then they stage his murder by tearing his beautiful coat and covering it with animal’s blood. (Genesis 37: 31-32)
- Then they watch their father grieve and then try to comfort him (Genesis 37:35), knowing that he could not be comforted — not even by all of his remaining children.
Yet, they could not conceive of ever stealing a cup . . . when they had stolen their brother’s life, their father’s joy, and the stability of a family.
What does this have to do with us? Oftentimes we are so appalled by accusations against us — to the point of even stating as the brothers did: “We could never do anything like that.”
Yet, we have done worse.
We have broken our Father’s heart over and over again. If false accusations come, let them remind us of how we have broken our Father’s heart, and let them spur us on to seeking to please him more. Let’s comfort our Father with our love and obedience. PRAYER: Father, forgive us for our false humility, even in the face of false accusations! Even if I have been wrongly accused of lying, I know that I have done worse. Thank you for saving me from myself and using everything in my life — even false accusations to point me in the direction of your amazing love and your amazing forgiveness. In Your son’s name I pray. Amen.
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