Test of the Heart

Prayer

Challenge of Reconciliation

So, our story continues, making our way through the Old Testament. We’re in the second to last week of Genesis, in the thick of Joseph’s journey.

Last we saw Joseph make the way from the prison to the palace after interpreting the two royal officials’ dreams, then the dreams of Pharaoh himself, the dreams where God reveals to Pharaoh that he will bring seven years of great abundance on the land and then seven years of devastating famine.

Joseph so impresses Pharaoh that he puts him in charge of all the land. Through his leadership, the Egyptians store up so much extra food during the seven years of plenty that they can’t even count it any more. Which is good, because they need it - when the famine begins, if they didn’t have that stored up food they’d be in big trouble.

Turns out the famine doesn’t just strike the Egyptians, it’s widespread - including the land of Canaan, where Joseph’s family is. They are in need of food.

Hearing there is plenty of food in Egypt, Jacob, the family patriarch, sends the ten oldest brothers down to Egypt to get food. Only Benjamin, the youngest - Jacob’s new favorite son - stays back.

So they make their way down to Egypt and like everyone else in search of food, they have to come before Joseph. But they do not recognize him, and why would they? Here he is, second in command of all of Egypt, he has an Egyptian name, speaks Egyptian fluently, using an interpreter to speak to them, and he’s dressed in royal Egyptian garb.

It’s been twenty years since they sold him into slavery -who could ever imagine that this is where he’s have ended up…only by the hand of God. But he recognizes them.

I want us to stop and consider this moment - because it’s huge. Joseph is seeing his brothers after twenty long years. The brothers who planned to kill him in cold blood, and then “settled” for selling him into slavery. The brothers who callously sat and ate lunch while he pleaded with them from the pit they had thrown him in.

The tables have completely turned - now he has all the power, they are at his compete mercy. They’re in desperate need of food - which he controls the distribution of, and the fact that they are visitors of a nation in which he is in command. A snap of his finger and they would be cast out or thrown in prison or even put to death.

It’s in this moment that Joseph’s dream from twenty years ago comes true - the brothers bow down to him as they come to buy food.

So here’s the question - what will Joseph do? The opportunity for revenge is right in his hands. Chance to teach them a well deserved lesson...But he doesn’t. It’s clear he has something else in mind.

It appears that Joseph desires what’s almost unimaginable - to be reconciled to his brothers. Even though he named his first child, “Manasseh” - forget, because God has made me forget, he hasn’t really. He wants to be reconnected to his family.

But here’s the dilemma - how can they be reconciled with all that’s happened, with what they did to him -still between them?! It’s not like you can just pretend it didn’t happen, or just laugh it off (do you guys remember the time you sold me into slavery…that was so funny!).

And this really is dilemma any time we have wounds between us. That we’ve wronged each other - especially when those wounds have been significant. How can reconciliation take place?

It’s impossible to have a genuine, open relationship - one of mutual trust and love when there’s some sin, some hurt, some woundedness between us. We may pretend it’s not there, avoid dealing with it, but it’s there.

And Joseph’s dilemma here is that if he reveals himself to them, will they treat him with love and respect because they genuinely have that for him - or simply because they are afraid of him, now that he has all the power. How can he know that they’re not just acting out of fear and self-preservation?

Really, how can it be truly good between them? How can Joseph be reunited with his brothers - do they still hate him? What Joseph needs to know is whether they’ve had a change of heart - so he tests them.

Test of Heart

So Joseph speaks to them harshly, accusing them of being spies, starts peppering them with questions about their family. Of course, they have no idea what’s going on? Hey, we’re just a family who’s come from the land of Canaan to get food (like all these other people).

So Joseph decides that they have to demonstrate that they are telling the truth - one of them has to stay behind, imprisoned, while the rest return home until they come back with their youngest brother.

They can’t believe this is happening to them! Notice their response, Genesis 42:21-23, They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.” Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter.

It’s fascinating that what comes to mind for them is that they are being punished for what they did to their brother twenty years ago. It’s as if they’ve been waiting for it. The guilt has been weighing on them all this time.

And Joseph notices - and he’s moved, he turns away from them and weeps. But he needs to see more - more than just their guilt, he needs to see if there’s been a change of heart.

So Simeon is imprisoned, the rest are released with their sacks of grain. And Joseph has another trick up his sleeve - he instructs his servants to put the silver they’d used to buy the grain back in their sacks - which they don’t discover until they are well on their way back home.

When they do discover it, they are more than just a little freaked out - what is this that God has done to us? So we’re starting to see some of their hearts revealed in this testing.

They return to their father who is dismayed (Genesis 42:36), Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”

Now there’s a dilemma - because Jacob favors Benjamin, he refuses to let the brothers take him down to Egypt to free Simeon and get grain. He’s desperately afraid something’s going to happen to him and he can’t stand the thought of that.

And this is important to realize because it was Jacob’s favoritism that stirred their hatred and resentment in the first place. He’s willing to let them go down to Egypt. He’s willing to let Simeon rot in prison (he’s practically written him off - Simeon is no more), all to protect the son he favors.

How will the brothers respond to this? Have their hearts changed in spite of the continuing favoritism?

The famine forces their hands - in spite of Jacob’s reluctance, they are in desperate need of food and the only place to get food is in Egypt and the only way they can get food from Egypt is if they bring Benjamin to prove that they are not spies.

So the brothers plead with their father. In order to convince him - and pay attention to this, Judah pledges responsibility for Benjamin, that he will bear the blame for the rest of his life if Benjamin is not returned safely.

To prepare for the return trip, they aren’t taking any chances - they pack double the silver, silver to pay for the grain and the silver they’d brought the first time that showed up mysteriously in their sacks. And they pack extra gifts, specialties from their land to sweeten the deal. And Jacob sends them off, (Genesis 43:13-14) Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.

Their treatment upon arrival in Egypt is very different this time. No accusations - in fact, Joseph commands that they be taken to his house for a meal. Their heads are spinning at this point, they have no idea what to make of what’s happening - they think he’s going to attack them and make them his slaves.

But no, only royal treatment - they try to return the silver, Joseph’s steward rejects it, telling them it must have been a gift from their God. They’re brought to the house, their feet are washed, donkeys are fed.

When Joseph shows up, they present the gifts they brought (bowing down before him once again). Joseph starts asking questions about how they’re doing, how their father is - and oh, is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?

And Joseph is so moved by the sight of Benjamin, he has to excuse himself in order to weep in private. His heart is soft towards his brothers. He gets himself together, washes his face, then the food is served. He seats them in order of their ages (how does he know?!) serves Benjamin with five times as much as anyone else (a little more testing, perhaps?).

By now, they’re feeling good. Their brother Simeon is released. They’re able to buy more grain. Nothing bad has happened to Benjamin. They’ve been treated amazingly - a royal feast. You can imagine they are in a great mood as they pack up the next morning and head back home.

But Joseph has one more trick up his sleeve, one more test - it’s a challenging one, to see if their hearts have changed.

Again, he returns their silver into their sacks. But this time he adds one more thing - his special silver cup of divination and he has it put into Benjamin’s sack.

The brothers leave unsuspectingly, Joseph’s steward chases them down, accusing them of theft - how could they, after how good his master has been to them?! Of course, they plead their innocence, going so far as to say that if one of them has the cup, he should die, and the rest of them will be their slaves.

You can imagine how deeply their hearts sink when the silver cup is discovered to be in Benjamin’s sack. So, back to Joseph’s house. Stunned, confused, they offer themselves as slaves to Joseph. But Joseph says, no, only the man who was found to have the cup - the rest of you can return home in peace.

The moment of truth has come - how will the brothers respond? They’re all innocent - Benjamin had the cup. Why should they all suffer? Benjamin’s been the coddled favorite of his father - not them. But their hearts have changed.

Judah steps forward and offers what is actually the longest speech in the book of Genesis, and it’s a passionate plea for this brother. He lays out the whole story of them coming back down here, their father’s reluctance to send Benjamin, his pledge to bear responsibility for him. He acknowledges his father’s deep love for Benjamin, as well as Jacob’s deep grief over the loss of his other favored son.

He finishes with this (Genesis 44:33-34): Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.

It’s an amazing moment. An absolutely beautiful moment. Judah offers his life for Benjamin’s. He offers to serve as Joseph’s slave so that Benjamin - the favorite - can return to his father. And he does it because he cannot bear how much grief this would cause his aging father. It is a cross bearing sacrifice. It is a willing gift in the vein of Jesus (side note, Jesus will come from the line of Judah, he is the Lion of the tribe of Judah).

Joseph has his answer. their hearts are changed. They have gone from a hatred of the favored brother, a willingness to kill him - to a love for both their father and brother and a willingness to offer their lives on his behalf. Joseph responds with loud weeping - but more on that next week.

I want to offer some thoughts on reconciliation, rooted in a change of heart. Reconciliation requires a change of heart, on either one or both of the parties involved.

And the change of heart is this - a move from self interest, self focus, self concern - towards the other. Towards love of the other, the willingness to be for the other, to sorrow over how you may have hurt them, let them down, dismissed them, betrayed their trust.

Exactly what Joseph saw in his brothers, huge of change of heart. Men who had been so consumed with their own hurts and feeling wronged by their father and his favorite that they were filled with jealousy, hatred - to becoming men who were able to see beyond that to see the wounds and grief of their father - no, we cannot allow that. We’ll make the sacrifice.

We even see it in a smaller way in Jacob, who initially is so consumed with the fear of the pain it would cause him if something happened to Benjamin that he refuses to let Benjamin go down to Egypt - thereby freeing Simeon from prison! He finally has to take everyone else into consideration - willingly face any suffering that may result…If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.

I knew a young woman once who had a bad relationship with her mother (a little sad to talk about on Mother’s Day). As she became a young adult, she realized more and more how badly her mother had treated her, how selfish she had been in the relationship. Problem was, when she confronted her mother about it, her mother never took any of the blame. Never owned up to it, never acknowledged the wrong she’d done - and frankly the wrongs she continued to do. So the pain and woundedness was always between them, no matter how much her mother tried to pretend it wasn’t. So the daughter had to make the difficult decision to maintain separation, keep strong boundaries of distance - because no real reconciliation could take place, there’d be no change of heart.

Looking at Youtube, watching some videos - clips I’d never seen from a show, Bar Rescue. In at least two of the clips, the bar owners themselves had a drinking problems - one guy sat there sulking, drinking, another one was the party guy, offering swigs of liquor to customers and taking plenty himself in-between.

In both of the circumstances, the main rescue guy (from Bar Rescue) confronted them on their selfishness - they were mired in their own misery, drink my problems away. They weren’t considering their families, their employees, everyone else being affected by their behavior.

Alcohol addiction, like any addiction, is selfishness. Consider some of the twelve steps of AA: 4) Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves…5) Admitted to God, ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs…8) Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

Do you see the progression in the twelve steps? It is a change of heart, moving from a self centeredness towards caring for others by recognizing the wrongs - how have my actions affected others? And a willingness to make amends. It’s a change of heart towards reconciliation.

This is what Jesus is inviting us into, it’s why repentance (doing our own fearless moral inventory, confession) is at the heart of coming to faith in Jesus, of entering into his kingdom and life with him - it is a change of heart from living for self toward living for Jesus.

It’s simply responding to his love for us - his heart has always been for us - the very reason he came was so that we might be reconciled, it’s why he offered his life, made the willing sacrifice for us. Jesus wants to nurture in us a heart like his.

And what does a heart like Jesus look like? It means that our love for others, to be for their good, becomes bigger and broader. Bigger in the sense of how much we are willing to love others, sacrificially, that we bear the cost (time, energy - pouring out, of wounds - grace!) and broader in the sense of who we are willing to love. In Jesus’ sermon on the mount he teaches that it’s no big deal to love those who love you - even the pagans, tax collectors do that! Can we love those who think differently from us…co-worker that annoys us…that neighbor that’s not very friendly…our enemy?

This is what Joseph was testing in his brothers - had they had a change of heart? Were they becoming men who could see beyond themselves, see beyond their own hurts - to love others? To love him? It’s what Jesus wants to see in us.

Spiritual Disciplines - this really is one of our core values for our church, Heart Transformation. The question is how do we participate in God’s working in our hearts, changing us from the inside out to become people who are truly good, who love their neighbor (whoever that may be) as themselves, who are for their good?

Let me offer you two challenges, two ways to put that into practice this week. The first would be to engage in reconciliation by seeking forgiveness. Is there someone you need to confess a wrong to?

If you think about the willingness to confess your wrongdoing to another, it indicates that change of heart, a willingness to move from a love of self (we often avoid acknowledging the wrongs we’ve done to others out of fear of the consequences, or we’re protecting our pride), we move to a greater love of others (what I did hurt you and I sorrow over that, I want to make amends.

So put that into practice. I’m sorry. I was wrong to do that do you, to say that to you. Please forgive me.

The second soul training exercise would be to look for opportunities to broaden your love this week - to love beyond those that you already affirm love for, which for most of us, is our family, close friends. To love that person you seemingly have nothing in common with. Who you may not like very much. To love someone who’s wronged you.

It may start with simply praying for that person - which is a way to move toward loving them, being for their good. Asking God to help you see that person through his eyes, way he sees them.

Because, in the end, isn’t that what we want - to be like Jesus. To see others as he does? To love them as he does? To have his heart - the very heart he has for us. Let’s pray for that heart.