Genesis 43:3-11, 15

“Then Judah said to his father Israel, ‘Send the boy with me, and let us be on our way, so that we may live and not die—you and we and also our little ones. I myself will be surety for him; you can hold me accountable for him.’” Genesis 43:8-9a

When Joseph’s brothers sold him into captivity they believed they’d seen the last of him. For them it was a good solution. Of course their father was upset but Joseph would no longer be a thorn in their sides–and they hadn’t had to kill him. Little did they know that years later he would show up in their lives once more, and they would be held accountable for what they had done. The Hebrews made this story a part of their scripture as a reminder that the consequences of sin can hang on for a lifetime. Examples of this show up in our life stories as well. In too many families, even when we try to forget the painful and ugly stories, the memories of the abuse can never fade completely away. Decades later, a person or a story from the past can show up, and old pains are experienced anew. The Joseph stories from Genesis had a happy ending and the Hebrews learned that even when we fall short, God can turn what was intended to be evil into a great good. And sometimes that happens for us too. Our sorrows are turned into joys, and our garbage heap becomes a garden of delight.

Thought for the Day: A time when my bad became a great good.