ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

PROPER 14

Brothers & Sisters,

The reading from Genesis 37 today, reminds us that favouritism is a human trait that we encounter in our daily lives, and that it can bring about or produce resentment and envy.

Joseph’s brothers envied him because of his favoured status and his dreams.  How do you react when there is open display of favouritism, at home, at school, in the workplace, in the provision of public services? If we are honest with ourselves, we would admit that sometimes we react with envy.

John Chrysostom commenting on Genesis 37 in the 4th century says, “envy is a terrible passion, you see, and when it affects the soul, it does not leave it before bringing it to an extremely sorry state.  It damages the soul that gives it birth and affects the object of its envy in the opposite way to that intended”. The more we envy, the more likely it will improve the lot of those whom we envy.  Envy then, becomes an exercise in futility.

The passage from today’s reading does not tell us all that happened to Joseph, but we know that in the end (Chapter 41), despite all the trials Joseph faced, the envy and betrayal of his brothers, Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge, firstly of his palace, and then of all of Egypt.



God had worked through the negative responses of envy and betrayal to bring about aid and joy to all of Egypt and to Jacob’s children and their families.  Indeed, God had given the envied Joseph the wisdom to advise Pharoah to make provision during the years of famine, so that the people of Egypt and his own family could withstand the famine.

So, Joseph says to his brothers in Genesis 45:5, “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you”.

Joseph was able to recognize that God’s purposes often unfold through trials and challenges. So, when we face the trial of favouritism, perhaps God is warning us to avoid jealousy, and is encouraging us to cultivate contentment and love, instead of envy.

Chapter 37, and indeed the whole story of Joseph as laid out in Genesis, reminds us also that being the favourite doesn’t always make things smooth and easy; it brings its own set of trials and challenges. Joseph was his father’s favourite, but he faced the trial of envy, he faced the trial of betrayal by his own brothers, betrayal by Potiphar’s wife.  But God was using Jospeh as a tool for good. Though Joseph faced these trials and challenges, God was using these events to position Joseph for greatness, and to save many lives. We too can trust and have faith that God can transform our setbacks into opportunities for good.

Have a Blessed Week!

Rev. Peter DePass