The offender is ever less ready to show love than the offended. The first step towards reconciliation, whether of man with man or of man with God, comes from the aggrieved. We always hate those whom we have harmed; and if enmity were ended only by the advances of the wrong-doer, it would be perpetual. The injured has the prerogative of praying the injurer to be reconciled. So was it in Pharaoh’s throne-room on that long past day; so is it still in the audience chamber of heaven. ‘He that might the vantage best have took found out the remedy.’ ‘We love Him, because He first loved us.’
Taken from an excerpt, titled: RECOGNITION AND RECONCILIATION, Expositions of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren, 1826-1910


Mr. MacLaren writes a commentary on a particularly intimate moment in the life of Joseph. Joseph had been sold into slavery at the age of 17 and had endured many other unfair circumstances throughout his time in Egypt but twenty years later, he is given the opportunity to lead Pharaoh's household. Once in power a great famine threatens to destroy Egypt and the surrounding countries.

Josephs' own family is in danger of famine and his brothers pilgrimage to Egypt in search of help for their family. Joseph immediately recognizes his brothers and keeps his identity from them. They have no idea the person standing in front of them is their young brother and now he has the power to save their families. Joseph wrestles with his emotions. His heart is so full of tenderness and forgiveness towards these very men that wanted him dead and did everything in their power to banish him from their lives.

"Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" (Genesis 45:1)

He tried to control his emotions but he couldn't. After everyone left, he revealed who he was to his brothers. "I am Joseph!" Can you imagine the emotions they experienced in the next few minutes? Shock, disbelief, fear, sorrow, shame...

How could they explain themselves, could they beg for mercy? He had the power to destroy them and they couldn't blame him if he did.

Have you ever experienced a moment like this? Have you ever been where Joseph's brothers stood? Did someone show you extreme kindness and forgiveness when you didn't deserve it?

But what he said next, shook them to the core of their souls.

"Come close to me. I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you...So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God." (Genesis 45:4-5 &7)

Why would Joseph say that to them? They didn't deserve that and they knew it.

I've been hurt pretty bad by someone who I thought loved me and reading Joseph's words knocked me down. I'm not sure that his words would be the first words that would come to my mouth if I had the chance to see this person after 20 years.

"Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him." (Genesis 45:14-15)

I cannot imagine a moment like this. It's unfathomable to me. I pray that if I were in this situation that I would be able to extend grace and forgiveness to the ones who've wronged me but I know I couldn't. At least not on my own.

Joseph was able to extend forgiveness and love to his brothers, the very ones who didn't want him, who wanted to kill him, because "the Lord was with Joseph." Over and over scripture states, "the Lord was with Joseph," (Genesis 39:2, 3, 21, & 23) The Pharaoh of Egypt even recognized God's spirit in Joseph, (Genesis 41:38) Joseph had an intimate relationship with the Lord and because he was filled by the Lord, when it was his time to extend this forgiveness to his brothers, he was overflowing and ready to pour it out over them.


I believe that the Lord had prepared his brothers' hearts for this moment. He had led them to the very one they'd wronged. God shows His own great mercy for us in the life of Joseph. We've all had an opportunity to extend grace and forgiveness to someone and in return we hope that when we are in great need of mercy, someone will extend it to us.

It has already happened. Jesus offered his own life for ours in his death. He took what we deserve on himself. He led such an amazing, righteous, sinless life and endured a horrific death in our place so that when we are faced with our own sin, it is wiped away.

We stand before the Lord, like Joseph's brothers, knees knocking, scared out of our wits, acknowledging our own filth, selfishness, pride, jealousy, anger, hatred, bitterness, unforgiveness, lust, fear. Afraid of what our just punishment should be. Jesus runs to us, throws his arms around us and weeps over us, saying: "But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance." (Genesis 45:7)

Forgiveness, it's what we don't deserve but it is what we're given.