(Have you ever had favorites? Or felt treated less or more than others when you saw favoritism taking place? It may make you feel good at first if you are treated better than others, but be careful, it can turn around and bite you! Getting to know Joe will help you know how to handle it.)
Joe and his father lived in the Middle East where having a son was very important and the firstborn son was even more special. The firstborn son was to take the father's place when it was time and he was to care for the family. Joe's older brothers had the same father but all from a different mother. One day their father gave a special coat which represented the "firstborn position" to Joe instead of the oldest brother of father's bloodline. Joe had a younger brother by his mother, so their father's actions were saying he was only recognizing Joe's side of the family! This rejection hurt the other brothers and made them even more jealous to the point of hating Joe!
(Have you ever felt hatred from those that were supposed to love you? Jealousy is a cruel master and opens the door to hatred. And as parents we need to be especially careful.)
Their jealousy and hatred grew to the point of wanting to get rid of him by considering murder. It manifested in "betrayal" not caring about what happened to their younger brother.
Joe ended up being taken into another country and sold. One of the historical writing I read said that Joe was so good looking that he was sold to be used in sex slavery. God protected Joe, who is called Joseph in the Bible because Joe chose to trust God.
(It would be hard enough to be rejected, hated and sold, but to be kidnapped and taken to a place you do not know and fear what would be done to you would be pain beyond words! Think of the worst thing that has happened to you in your life. Chose to trust God with it as well. You do not need to understand it to trust God with it. It's simply recognizing that God is bigger than the evil that has happened and you need Him to take the pain. He won't violate your will so He will not take it unless you chose to give it to Him. You can learn as Joe did how God can turn it around! You might as well get good mileage out of it!)
Things looked worse as Joseph lived in Egypt. He thought he was moving up the ladder as he was promoted as a foreman and even higher positions for the Dignitary for whom he worked. But when the wife of his boss could not get Joe to go to bed with her, she hollered "rape" and he was thrown into prison! Again, in the midst of a very unfair situation, the voices in his head tried to get him to think the God he trusted had forsaken him. The pain he felt was just like he felt with his brothers! But again, Joe trusted God with what he did not understand!
(Have you been there? I have! Where you trusted God and things still happen that seemed like a downward spiral! Where you are blamed for things you did not do or when people you trusted turned away from you. When people believe the lie instead of the truth and there is nothing you can say or do! All you can do is trust God for He knows the truth! Even in times where you were wrong, as you face it, God can still help you and turn it around!)
In prison, favor was on Joe. He was being positioned for his ultimate promotion! He met two guys there that worked for the King. Joseph interpreted their dreams and they were right on! Years later when the King needed his dreams translated one of the guys finally remembered Joe! Joseph not only had insight into the dreams but what to do! The King put him in charge, gave him a beautiful home and a lovely wife. When Joseph had his first son, he named him Manasseh which means, "One who makes to forget, to leap up and away."
"Mannie" caused his Dad to forget the pain of the past, to leap up out of the junk that would try to pull him down and instead brought joy into his life!
Later God restored Joe with his father and brothers and used him to save their lives! Wow! Joe could not see the whole picture just like we cannot. He had to trust God for God to use the situations for his good. Joe kept his integrity and did what was right because it was the right thing to do. He proved that the decisions he made were worthy of being called the firstborn son. He was being positioned all along to care for the family. He cared not only for them but for nations! We are in the Hebrew month of Cheshvan whose tribe is "Manasseh'! It is a month to find the joy that brings healing! (See more on https://annasgate.org/cheshvan/)
(What is your "Mannie"? Look for the GOOD where you are. What joys help you forget the pain of the past and leap up out of the hurt? It was after Manasseh was named that God brought restoration with Joe and his past. So...trust God and look for your Mannie!)
~Dr. CarolMarie
