Equality

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

EQUALITY

Gen 37:5-11

5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." 8 His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." 10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?" 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

NIV

With the two dreams of Joseph, we are not told God appeared to him in his dreams. However, because his dreams were prophetic it would make perfect they were caused by God, for there would be no human way that Joseph would have that type of dream. We know the whole story for we have read it many times and, in fact, they all bow down to him when he became the second in command in Egypt. What do we learn from this narrative? Is it his dream? Is it because he told his brothers and father? Is it because they got the point and hated him even more? Or is it because his father rebuked his favorite son? However, we see that it turned out his brothers were jealous of him. Jealousy might be the reason for so much hatred. The Hebrew word translated as jealous is in the negative sense and also implies envious. Once again, this dysfunctional family is shown to us, but we think our lesson is about two emotions, one of Joseph and one of his brothers. First, we think Joseph could have been prideful knowing how his brothers already felt about him, so that by telling them his dreams he was kind of lord it over them, giving them the idea they were less than he was, that they would bow down to him. We know pride comes before the fall, and on the surface it sure appeared Joseph fell, being sold into slavery by his brothers. Nevertheless, we in the church, in the assembly of the righteous, would never have a reason to be prideful because we all will inherit the same eternal life. However, when it comes to either the goods of the world or our position in the body of Christ, pride might just sneak in at times, if we are not mindful and carefully guard against pridefulness. Secondly, envy or being envious of another either because of the goods of this world, or the position in the body of Christ is also not a good feeling or attitude for a follower of Jesus. We should be aware with God, we are all equal, as Jesus died for all of us and our inheritance is all the same. Let us then live as equals in the church, each doing the part God has gifted us with for the benefit of all. If there is truly or should be true equality within the body of Christ, with all of us serving the same God and each other,  then there will be no pride or envy.