The story of Joseph in Genesis is a story filled with jealousy, deceit, rivalry, and forgiveness. After years of struggle, hardship, and different ranks, Joseph is able to forgive his brothers because of his realization of God’s presence and plan throughout.
Joseph, the son of Jacob and Rachel, was his father’s favorite son and his brothers were very jealous of Joseph’s status with their father. Spanned by intense jealousy, Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave (Genesis 37: 28) where he was eventually brought to Egypt where his charm and devine success enabled him to eventually be appointed as Pharoah’s viceroy, or his “second-hand-man” (Genesis 41). This position was awarded to Joseph because he was able to predict and decipher Pharaoh’s dreams of an impending seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine (Genesis 41). As viceroy, Joseph was charged with preparing the nation for the famine.
Feeling the effects of the famine, Joseph’s brothers traveled to Egypt where to get food where they, unknowingly, encountered Joseph (Genesis 42). Once realizing that his brothers had seemingly regretted their actions towards Joseph, the family reunited (Genesis 45). Despite having caused much hardship and displacement for Joseph, he chose to forgive his brothers. He was able to choose forgiveness because he realized that all the trials and tribulations that he had gone through were all part of God’s plan to ensure the survival of Egypt, its people, and the surrounding countries. We see many times throughout Joseph’s story that God is with him, for example with Joseph’s resistance being more powerful than his temptation when the wife of Potiphar attempted to seduce him (Genesis 39) and with the prisoner’s favor of Joseph by placing him in charge of all the other prisoners (Genesis 39: 21-22). Not only does the story of Joseph teach us the importance and power of forgiveness, but also perseverance as we see Joseph continue through his life never doubting the presence and plan of the Lord. In this, we also see Joseph remain humble as he never takes the credit for himself, but rather owes it all God. His humbleness also extended into his leadership. Joseph could have very well denied his brothers food out of vengefulness, but instead demonstrated forgiveness.
Many leaders today would likely not choose the same route as Joseph, but rather choose vengeance over forgiveness. Joseph’s story teaches many valuable lessons, for Christains the most important may be the reminder that God is always present during good and bad times.