Last week we saw how Joseph was
searching for his brothers. They were supposed to be at Shechem,
but instead they went to Dothan. Finally Joseph found them at
Dothan. But he didn't receive the welcome that he thought he would
get. Even from afar they plotted against him to kill him:
"Look, this dreamer is coming!
Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and
we shall say, "Some wild beast has devoured him." We shall see what
will become of his dreams!" Genesis 37:19, 20
They have had enough of him. They
were past the point of thinking rationally. They didn't like the
fact that their father treated him better than all of them. Plus
they were not where they were supposed to be, so they didn't want
another bad report given to their father by his favorite son.
Killing him sounded better to them at that moment. They didn't
think it through but reacted hastily.
Now Reuben was the oldest of all of
Jacob's sons. And even though he didn't like Joseph either, he felt
that his brothers were not thinking straight and that killing him
was not the best way to handle the situation. However he didn't
have the guts to tell his brothers to leave him alone. He rather
took the safer route and told them:
"Let us not kill him. Shed no
blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and
do not lay a hand on him" - that he might deliver him out of their
hands and bring him back to his father." Genesis 37:21, 22
Reuben's plan was that they cast
Joseph into the pit and then later he will come back and get him
out of the pit and take him back to his father. He didn't have the
courage to stand up for what is right and to confront his brothers.
They had to listen to him because he was in a position of authority
over them as the eldest. But he didn't. He was either too afraid of
them, or he wanted to still feel a part of them and he knew that
they would treat him differently if they saw him siding with
Joseph. Either way, he didn't stand up for what was right.
This decision haunted them all for
decades to come. We see that in Genesis 42:21, 22 when they came to
Egypt to collect grain:
"We are truly guilty concerning
our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded
with us, and we would not hear; therefore the distress has come
upon us." And Reuben answered to them, saying, "Did I not speak to
you, saying, "Do not sin against the boy": and you would not
listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of
us."
The brothers and Reuben especially
suffered trauma for at least two decades after they had cast Joseph
into the pit. Fortunately God had a purpose for Joseph and allowed
all things to work together for good for him. But the brothers
didn't know that for two decades and they were haunted by their
actions.
The lesson here is: Think carefully
before you act. Think it through, sleep on it, pray about it, and
do not act hastily. You normally do the wrong thing then. All your
actions have consequences. Yes, when you repent you are forgiven by
the blood of Jesus, but your actions still have consequences to be
dealt with. Rather walk an upright path with God, follow His
leading in all that you do and do not act out of your emotions. It
normally just brings heartache and pain.
Secondly, when you know something
is not right, stand up and say so. Reuben didn't protect Joseph
from his brothers. Yes, he persuaded them not to kill him, but he
still didn't stand up and told them to leave him alone. The same
can be said of us. Many times at work, at school, between friends
and associates we find that wrong things are being said, planned
and done. It is then that we need to stand up and take a stand
against it. We should not take the easy way out like Reuben. His
plan of later rescuing Joseph backfired and it caused him so much
regret, heartache and pain for twenty years thereafter. Do not
allow that to happen to you. Rather face them head on and say your
say. God will be with you. Maybe they will reject you and cast you
out, but then I know that God will provide even better friends for
you and will exalt you in due time for standing up for Him.
Hallelujah!
Father, please give us the courage
to stand up for what is right. Please help us also to think through
our actions before reacting. Rather lead us with Your peace to the
right thing to do. You are our Role Model, help us to act like You
would have. Amen