“As for you, you meant evil against me,
but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept
alive, as they are today.” – Genesis 50:20 (ESV)
Summarize in a Word: Forgiveness
Key Principle: Forgiveness
is an issue of God-likeness, not an issue of Circumstances.
Key Application: We must
forgive unconditionally.
Main point of the Passage: No
matter what evil and good things happen to us, all things strengthen us to be
more Godlike when we recognize God’s plan transcends Man’s Plan.
Illustration: Joseph’s Attitude
Exhortation: Put not your eyes on your brother’s sins, but
on the goodness of God.
Forgiveness
is what we desire from others, but not an easy virtue to exercise upon others. It
looks more difficult when wrong is done intentionally by people who are close
to us. Sometimes, we wait for their repentance or apologies to forgive them.
Can we just forgive without any condition? How can we do it? The story of
Joseph and his brothers portrays a good example for us to imitate forgiveness.
Joseph’s
brothers fell down before him begging for forgiveness. What could a guilty
person want than forgiveness! Joseph did more than forgiving, he made provisions
for them and their children to live prosperously. Joseph did not discuss about
forgiveness, he just did. Though Joseph affirmed their evil intention, he was
not bothered by it. He lived for God’s business. What he rejoiced to see was
God saving many people on account of that incident. Joseph recognized God’s
plan transcends Man’s Plan.
Are you
struggling to forgive someone? Look at Joseph. He would neither look on his
suffering, nor on the sins of his brothers. He would not do self-pity nor
‘teach them a lesson.’ Joseph’s attitude is telling us to stop being conscious about
ourselves but to delight in the providence of Sovereign God. Put not your eyes
on your brother’s sins, but on the goodness of God. God forgives us not on the
basis of who we are, but because of who He is. Jesus died for us while we were
still sinner and rebellious (cf. Rom 5:8-10). Forgiveness is an issue of
God-likeness, not an issue of Circumstances.