His brothers don't know it. But they are standing in front of the same brother they sold to the Guypsies some twenty-two years earlier.
They don't recognize him. But he recognizes them. A little bit balder and punchier, but the same brothers.
The last time he saw their faces, he was looking up from the bottom of pit. The last time he heard their voices, they were laughing at him. The last time they called his name, they called him every name in the book.
And now is the chance to get even. Now, he has a complete control. One snap of his finger those brothers are dead. Or, he called called the guard to hancuff them and to drag them to to the Egptian dangeon and let them sleep in the mud.
When we are mistreated our natural response is to get even. Instinctively, we double up our fists. Getting even is only natural. That's the problem. Revenge is natural not spiritual. Getting even is the rule of the jungle. Forgiveness is the rule of the kingdom.
Revenge is within Joseph's power. But he doesn't take it. He understands that vengeance is God"s (Heb. 10:30). He understands that he must wait for the Lord, for the Lord does what is right( Prov. 20:22).
It is said that anger, or revenge, or bitterness ...is a black, menacing and malignant tumor of the soul. It is a deadly carcinoma of the spirit. Its fetal fibers creep around the edge of the heart and ravage it.
Yesterday, we cannot alter. But our reaction to yesterday we can. The past cannot change. But our response to the past, we can.
Judgement is God's job. To assume otherwise is to assume that God cannot do it. When we strick back we are saying in effect, "I know vengeance is yours God, but I just don't think you would punish enough. I thought I would better take the situation into my own hands. You have the tendency to be a little soft".
God has not asked us to settle the score or to get even. Ever!
To forgive someone is to show reverence to God. Forgivenes sis not saying that the one who hurt you is right. Forgiveness is stating that God is fair and He will do will do what is right.
They don't recognize him. But he recognizes them. A little bit balder and punchier, but the same brothers.
The last time he saw their faces, he was looking up from the bottom of pit. The last time he heard their voices, they were laughing at him. The last time they called his name, they called him every name in the book.
And now is the chance to get even. Now, he has a complete control. One snap of his finger those brothers are dead. Or, he called called the guard to hancuff them and to drag them to to the Egptian dangeon and let them sleep in the mud.
When we are mistreated our natural response is to get even. Instinctively, we double up our fists. Getting even is only natural. That's the problem. Revenge is natural not spiritual. Getting even is the rule of the jungle. Forgiveness is the rule of the kingdom.
Revenge is within Joseph's power. But he doesn't take it. He understands that vengeance is God"s (Heb. 10:30). He understands that he must wait for the Lord, for the Lord does what is right( Prov. 20:22).
It is said that anger, or revenge, or bitterness ...is a black, menacing and malignant tumor of the soul. It is a deadly carcinoma of the spirit. Its fetal fibers creep around the edge of the heart and ravage it.
Yesterday, we cannot alter. But our reaction to yesterday we can. The past cannot change. But our response to the past, we can.
Judgement is God's job. To assume otherwise is to assume that God cannot do it. When we strick back we are saying in effect, "I know vengeance is yours God, but I just don't think you would punish enough. I thought I would better take the situation into my own hands. You have the tendency to be a little soft".
God has not asked us to settle the score or to get even. Ever!
To forgive someone is to show reverence to God. Forgivenes sis not saying that the one who hurt you is right. Forgiveness is stating that God is fair and He will do will do what is right.
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