It must have been surreal for Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulon, and Benjamin to realize that the brother they thought had vanished from their lives forever was actually alive. I can imagine that, for all but the youngest of the 11—Benjamin—it was terrifying to see their brother Joseph, whom they had always despised and nearly killed before ultimately selling him to traders. How does one even process an event like that? What would you say if you were one of the 10 after the initial shock subsided upon seeing this “dead” brother standing before you, not only alive but also a ruler of Egypt, a global power?
If the story of Joseph and his brothers teaches us anything, it’s that being brothers doesn’t always lead to what we would call a brotherhood: a strong feeling of solidarity and support among people. Although they all had the same father and were in his service, they couldn’t get along. Jealousy, strife, and a desire for a better position overpowered them, leading them to betray one of their own. Their reward was a life filled with guilt and a terrible secret for years.
The problem with evil is that it is pervasive. It doesn’t exempt brothers or sisters; it’s stuck to us.
The Unavoidable Question
I come from a country where 55 percent of the population identifies as nonreligious. More than half of us believe there is no God or higher power. In conversations with my nonreligious friends about their worldview and the reasons behind their belief systems, a variation of the following question almost always comes up: “If there is a God, why is there so much suffering in the world?”
Did you know that God is tired of hearing this question?
“You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, ‘How have we wearied him?’ By saying, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.’ Or by asking, ‘Where is the God of justice?’ ”(Mal. 2:17, ESV1).
Malachi 2 begins with God addressing the priests of Israel. Perhaps He’s just weary of hearing them ask this question, or maybe He is generally tired of it. In any case, I imagine it stings more when this question arises from people to whom you have provided a road map for finding you—people who have been instructed since their youth and throughout their adult lives about your plan of salvation; people who should understand that being just is an inherent part of your existence, especially when it concerns a people who cannot claim ignorance.
Not Believing Fully
I, too, cannot claim ignorance. I have enough knowledge and experience to know that God is good. Yet I sometimes find myself doubting Him. Not His existence nor His ability to help me, but I sometimes wonder whether He will provide for my needs or the needs of those around me. The real problem with not believing God is that we start making alternative plans to what He has told us or what He would have told us had we taken the time to ask. These plan B’s often make things longer, more painful, and more complicated. They become worse, not better. I speak from experience when I say there are areas in my life in which I haven’t fully trusted God. I’ve wanted to, and I’ve prayed about it, but some challenges have proved to be tougher to conquer than others. It’s not a conscious decision to distrust Him; nevertheless, anything not fully submitted to the Lord is a territory the enemy of souls will try to exploit. Satan doesn’t care whether these are conscious or unconscious weaknesses; he will seize any part of you he can control. Anything you leave with him gives him the opportunity to gain full control over you eventually.
If Joseph’s brothers had taken their yearning for recognition to the Lord, they would have discovered that He gives grace and glory, and withholds no good thing “from those who walk uprightly” (Ps. 84:11). Joseph’s brothers didn’t just wake up one day and decide, “Today is the day I hate my brother so much that I will kill him.” They simply didn’t believe their jealousy was something God could help them with. Instead, they allowed their initial feelings of hurt, insecurity, and jealousy to fester and grow into the ugly deeds they ultimately committed (James 1:14, 15).
Our God is big enough to teach us to love generously those we don’t agree with.
The Effect of Grace Can Take Time
What is beautiful about this story is that Joseph’s 10 older brothers didn’t drop dead immediately upon contemplating sinning against their brother. God could have prevented Joseph from ever reaching the bottom of the pit. God could have diverted the Ishmaelite traders so that they would never have encountered Jacob’s sons, and He could have caused the brothers to fall to the ground (as did the soldiers trying to capture Jesus in John 18:6) had they attempted to kill Joseph. But our thoughts don’t immediately trigger judgment. God carefully considered Joseph’s situation before allowing him to be taken to Egypt in such a manner. Because Joseph’s brothers lived long after selling him, we can read in the biblical account that even these hardened, abusive, and deceitful men eventually became repentant, unselfish, and ready to sacrifice themselves for the sake of another. The beauty here is that where many of us might have written most characters out of the script after Genesis 37, God gave them more time, and during this period these particular brothers learned to be more like Jesus.
Loving Those We Dislike
Learning to extend the grace God has shown to us toward others in the way we talk and treat each other can be hard. Some people explain that they don’t go to church because of other church members. And I have to agree that some of the situations they describe are objectively horrible. Sadly, we church folks sometimes completely miss the mark in how we treat our members and visitors. Similarly, there is much room for improvement in how we interact on forums and social media platforms. I shudder at the hostility I sometimes encounter there. Don’t get me wrong—I encourage open and frank conversations. I’m Dutch and a lawyer, and I’m always ready for a good discussion. At the same time, I firmly believe that when our conversations become more controversial or contentious, we have a responsibility not only to keep things civil but also to display the love of Christ as we do so. Our God is big enough to teach us to love generously those we don’t agree with. Not only is He able to teach us, but He also expects us to do so:
“The Lord requires of all who profess to be His people, far more than they give Him. He expects believers in Christ Jesus to reveal to the world, in word and deed, the Christianity that was exemplified in the life and character of the Redeemer. If the Word of God is enshrined in their hearts, they will give a practical demonstration of the power and purity of the gospel. The testimony thus borne to the world is of much more value than sermons, or professions of godliness that do not reveal good works. Let those who name the name of Christ remember that individually they are making an impression favorable or unfavorable to Bible religion, on the minds of all with whom they come in contact.”[2]
Finding Peace
Back to the story of Jacob’s sons. Joseph’s brothers were about to return to their father’s house. The distance from Egypt to Canaan was about 250-300 miles (400-480 kilometers), so they were about to spend a lot of time together. Before they left, Joseph entered the scene: “Then he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, ‘Do not quarrel on the way’ ” (Gen. 45:24, ESV).
There was plenty to quarrel about: the 10 could have argued over whose idea it was to throw Joseph into the pit or to sell him to people who were likely going to abuse him. Was there an instigator? Was there someone who always hated Joseph the most? Was this person the reason his brothers treated Joseph with such contempt? They could have fought over who would have to tell their father, whom they had lied to, that his most beloved son wasn’t dead and that they had been so jealous of Joseph that they had allowed their feelings for him to override all reason. While Joseph was on a mission to see how his brothers were doing, they cruelly ensured that he would never look into their affairs again. Benjamin could have looked at his older brothers with disgust and thought: Wait a minute; you sold my brother to strangers? And you saw how depressed our father became, and didn’t come clean? Who are you? Am I even safe with you right now? The trip home could’ve been disastrous.
Joseph’s directive that they not quarrel may have been essential. He had forgiven them, and by granting them forgiveness, he allowed them to avoid more conflict. If Joseph was at peace, his brothers could also find peace.
As followers of Christ, we are all in the Father’s service, just as Joseph’s brothers were in Jacob’s service. Like Jacob’s sons, we may face challenges that are difficult to overcome. These challenges might involve how we relate to our brothers and sisters and the unhealthy patterns we experience with them. They may stem from needs we have tried to fulfill through an alternative plan rather than what God has in mind. Every day we must choose whom we will trust. Will we depend on ourselves, or will we recognize that our God is present and will do what is right?
Like Joseph’s brothers, we are on our way to our Father’s house. Some of us may have deeply hurt each other at some point. Some of us might have plenty to quarrel about on the way there. But what if we chose not to quarrel? What if we learned to forgive as Joseph forgave? What if we made it a point to pray for the ability to love each other generously despite our complicated history? Loving each other doesn’t mean we can’t call out sin, nor does it mean we accept bad behavior. It means that whenever we do address an issue, it should be to restore each other back to Christ. If we do this right, we can make God less weary. A healthy church like that would be better at uplifting one another, dispelling darkness, and shining brighter on that hill (Matt. 5:14).
We all have the same Father; we are all in His service. The problem of evil is that it’s pervasive, yet God’s solution to evil is available anywhere and anytime. May we find in Him the way to get along. May jealousy, strife, and the desire for a better position never again be part of our equation, and may we leave no one behind.
1 Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2016. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
2 The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publ. Assn., 1955, 1977), vol. 4, p. 1181. (Emphasis added.)
