Shame

 'Say to Joseph, "Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you."' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

Genesis 50:17 ESV

https://bible.com/bible/59/gen.50.17.ESV


Joseph's cowardly and ashamed brothers sent a message to him, claiming it was from their now deceased dad. Knowing what we do of them, it wouldn't surprise me if they were just making this up. Maybe they were so terrified of reprisals for their mistreatment of their brother that they made up a tall story.


The Bible doesn't say one way or another, so let's give the Israelites the benefit of the doubt. Understandably, Jacob would have wanted peace amongst his songs, and forgiveness for past wrongs, so he could conceivably said this. As far as Joseph was concerned, the matter had already been settled, and reconciliation had already been engineered by himself in preceding chapters.


Residual guilt however ran deep in his brothers' hearts. Shame had taken root, and it would take more digging by Joseph to uproot it to help establish holistic peace/shalom in the hearts of his family. Joseph's response is moving. I might have rolled my eyes, but his eyes wept tears.


Joseph was evidently saddened that an issue he'd considered dead and buried- fraternal strife- was being dug up by his brothers. But he comfortingly reassured them rather than to berate them. They meant to harm him, but God meant to bless them through him.


'Almighty Lord, we confess our sins that sent Christ to the cross. But we're so grateful that through the evil of the cross, the goodness of forgiveness can be credited to us. In Jesus's name, amen'

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