To Save Lives

I am the 4th of about 11 children. Middle stacked in a culture that places great emphasis on the first son of the family. I was initially sent to a sub-par school. I heard praises song of my elder and younger siblings, how great they were and will be. In fact, I began to believe that I was nothing and would amount to nothing. I even heard a parent say I would be a poor man someday. When I graduated high school, my dad wrote a letter to the American embassy saying I would amount to much and that was the first time I remember believing in myself. But it was for good, because today, I know that God, and God only, deserves all the glory for who I am today.

Joseph was called a dreamer. Joseph dreamed dreams of grandeur, of leadership and of influence. But his brothers were jealous of him. They could not see themselves bowing to their junior brother. Well, it is one thing to be jealous, but it is another for that jealousy to compel you to consider murdering your own brother. Joseph, by God’s providence, was not murdered, but instead was sold to slavery. He then ended up in jail and suffered unjustly – but God’s hand was in all these. God lifted Joseph to be the influential ruler he had dreamed about as a child. His brothers came to acknowledge his opulence. Joseph did not take out his wrath on them, though he has a valid argument to do so. He instead forgave them, embraced them and exhorted them that God was working through it all to save lives. Their jealousy of him was simply God working to save lives.

There is a tendencies in many parents to choose one child over another. Remember how your dad or mom chose your brothers/ sisters over you? They said your siblings would be the world changers and that you will just, well, – be. But could they see tomorrow? Could they have seen today? God has prospered you, and all those that were hand picked to be influential are not at the level you are today. Occasionally, there is a feeling of resentment for your parents, and for your siblings. That they looked down on you, that they ill-treated you, that they did not believe in you, and so are not deserving of your current bounty. While these are genuine feelings to be worked through, God gave us an example in Joseph – to forgive, to embrace. God meant it all for good. God meant it to show Himself strong in and through you. That nobody can boast that they made you, but God only. God prospered you for a reason – to save lives.