Devotional--The Life of Joseph, Part X

Genesis 42:3,6-9,17
  Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

  Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.” 8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. 9 Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”

  And he put them all in custody for three days.
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  Imagine Joseph's emotions at this moment--he's probably managed to suppress the anger and hurt he feels from his brothers' betrayal of him from his youth, and he's ascended to great heights in Egypt, only to have his brothers resurface in his life, only this time, they are completely at his mercy.

  How would you deal with it?

  Our character is revealed by how we treat those over whom we have power, and in our dealings with our enemies.  It's important how we relate to our friends and those closest to us, but it's ever so important how we treat those whom we oppose--do we still extend selfless love to them?  We all have ample opportunities to live into the love for our enemies which Christ calls us to live out--how will you respond?  Will you surprise them by being gracious and loving?  Will you love freely?  In loving even our enemies, we testify to a deep and abiding faith and confidence in God to put all things right--we trust that the world is in His hands, and that He will know how to handle things, and so we trust Him, and live for Him alone.

Blessings