Returning Good for Evil

Memory Verse
“Don’t let evil get the upper hand but conquer evil by doing good.” Romans 12:21 [The Living Bible]

Have you ever tried to do something and nothing seems to come together but you know this is the right thing for you to do? Let’s say you want to join a certain team or activity in school or in church. But as it turns out, the scheduled time doesn’t work for you or for your parents to take you there. Or maybe you don’t make the team and the coach tells you to try again next year.

You keep trying and eventually you make it; you’re accepted in the team. Usually the delay occurs because the timing just isn’t right for you at the time. Maybe you have to practice more and improve your skills or maybe a position has to become available to accommodate you. A lot of things have to come together for it to happen but at the time you can’t understand why it doesn’t work. Suddenly everything falls into place.

That’s how it was for Joseph and his brothers. Joseph couldn’t understand why God would let him be sold as a slave and then be put into prison. Jacob couldn’t understand why God would let a wild animal attack his favorite son. He didn’t know it was all a terrible lie. Joseph didn’t know it would end with him saving his family from starvation and poverty.

Joseph’s brothers did bring Benjamin with him when they returned for more grain. Joseph was so glad to see his brother but he didn’t let on who he really was. He wanted to test his brothers to see if they would protect Benjamin or desert him also, as they had him.

First he invited them to a meal in his home. He saw to it that they were seated in order of their ages, from oldest to youngest. He sent food from his table to each of his brothers, but to Benjamin he sent five times as much. Maybe he was testing his brothers to see if they would be jealous.

After the meal his steward filled the brothers’ sacks with grain and put Joseph’s silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. In the morning the brothers left for home. They hadn’t gone far when Joseph sent his steward after them to retrieve his silver cup.

When the steward finally caught up to them he demanded to know why they had stolen the ruler’s silver cup. Of course, they denied taking it because they had no idea that it was in one of their sacks.

They assured the steward that they were honest men and if he found the cup in one of their sacks that brother must die and the rest of them would be the steward’s slaves for ever.

“No,” said the steward. “I will take the brother for my servant in whose sack I find the cup and the rest of you can go free.”

How surprised they were when the steward found the cup in Benjamin’s sack. They didn’t know what to do. They had promised that he would be the steward’s slave. But they couldn’t go through with that. They all accompanied the steward back to the ruler with Benjamin.

When they arrived at the ruler’s house, Joseph was waiting for them. He asked them why they had taken his silver cup. It was a very special cup. He demanded that only Benjamin stay and he would punish him but the rest could return home.

“No!” said Judah. “Our father will die of grief if Benjamin doesn’t return. I will stay in Benjamin’s place and be your servant. I promised our father that nothing bad would happen to Benjamin.”

Finally Joseph was satisfied. He saw that his brothers had changed. They weren’t jealous that Benjamin was now their father’s favorite. He knew they were better men now and he longed to tell them who he was.

So he sent all the Egyptians out of the room and then he talked to his brothers in their language. “I am your brother, Joseph, who you sold into Egypt; is my father still alive?”

The brothers stood there in amazement and fear. They probably had a hard time believing Joseph. Also they must have been afraid of what he would do to them to repay them for their mean deed.

But Joseph assured them that he really was their brother. He cried because he was so overcome with deep feelings for his brothers. He told them to come close to him and then he told them why they shouldn’t be afraid.

“It was God who sent me to Egypt,” he said. “He sent me here to save your lives. The famine will last for five more years. I want you to bring your families and everything you have to Egypt.”

They hugged each other and with joy and relief they cried on each others’ shoulders. Joseph was generous in returning good for evil. He urged them to hurry home and come back quickly, bringing his father with them.

Even Pharaoh was glad to hear that Joseph’s brothers had come. He too invited them to come live in Egypt. So the jealous feelings that the brothers had acted on years ago brought good things to Joseph and his father, Jacob, and to his brothers.

That’s what God can do in our lives too. If we give Him our problems, even if we don’t know what to do, and wait for Him to act, He pulls everything together in His time. He can use our failures and even our sins to bring glory to Him in the end.

Sometimes we have to go through a lot of pain and misunderstanding. Sometimes it takes years for us to know why something happened or didn’t happen after we prayed and waited so long. We might never know the reason why God allowed certain hard things to happen to us or our family until we see Jesus in heaven. But as we wait we can know that God loves us very much. He says we are the apple of His eye. And He is planning beautiful things for us.

Going Deeper for parents:

As adults we have lived long enough to see the cycle of returning good for evil work out. Possibly you have also observed the vicious circle of returning evil for evil take its toll on people. And maybe you, like me, have sometimes shivered as you even saw people return evil for good.

The Bible it’s easy to love someone who loves us, but God requires that we love those who don’t love us nor show love to us. I think returning good for evil is forgiving in progress. As you do good, forgiving begins to spring up in your heart. That’s what returning good for evil is all about: forgiveness.

Ruth Willms

Author: The Lion Tree
http://ruthwillms.com
ruth.willms@gmail.com

Want to know more about how God can help you every day? Check out my new book The Lion Tree at http://ruthwillms.com

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