ANOTHER CHANCE?

 DECEMBER 9, 2022

GENESIS 50:20-21

"’You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives’ …he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.”


Do you ever compare yourself to others? It’s a silly question in the age of social media, but take a moment to think about a time when you acted out in jealousy or perhaps when someone was jealous of you.

Now let us think of a man named Joseph who grew up in a family with many brothers. He was favored by their father and his brothers couldn’t bear this favoritism. At the height of their sibling rivalry, Joseph’s brothers ganged up on him and sold him into slavery. Let that sink in for a minute: they sold him into slavery!

After many painful years, Joseph finds himself in a position of power over his family in their time of need, and he chooses the unexpected. He chooses to extend grace and forgiveness. He chooses to give a second chance to his brothers.

This beautiful Bible story is only a glimpse of the story of grace that would later unfold in the life of God’s Promised Messiah. This One would show us how to forgive instead of retaliating. When betrayed by the people closest to him, this One would show us how to love the people who are supposed to love us, but instead hurt us. He would live out a peace that demonstrates how to respond to others in conflict.

I wish I could say that I always follow this example!

Do you give second chances?

Or do you tally up how others have wronged you in order to get even?

I Corinthians 13:4-7

“no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.”