Speaking Kindly

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

SPEAKING KINDLY

Gen 50:15-26

15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?" 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Your father left these instructions before he died: 17'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept. 18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said. 19 But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. 22 Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father's family. He lived a hundred and ten years 23 and saw the third generation of Ephraim's children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph's knees.   24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." 25 And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place." 26 So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

NIV

We have come to the end of this story from the creation through Adam and then the story of the flood, Noah, the ark, and then through the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and now Joseph. We notice how the brothers are now more afraid of Joseph since their father died and are at his mercy. Two portions of truth could be our lesson. The first is in the words of Joseph regarding being in the right place because God intended him to be there for good. It was the purpose of God for Joseph to be where he was. It would behoove us to inquire of God that we are in the place where He has intended us to be for the good of others and the kingdom. We could be where we are not of our own choice, such as Joseph did not have a choice to be taken to Egypt. However, it seems in our culture we mostly make many of our own decisions as to our fields of endeavor, the style and location of our homes, our financial security, and for us believers even where we want to worship. But do we inquire of God about any of those things wondering if we are in the place to do good to accomplish his will for others through us. Secondly, the words of Joseph bring us a truth we consider a lesson. Twice Joseph used the phrase, “Don’t be afraid”, but where we intersect with the story is in the kindness Joseph spoke to his brothers. He did not use harsh words but assured them spoke kindly to them. We wonder how many times we have missed that mark of speaking kindly, especially in wanting our own way in a discussion, that might be more of an argument, particularly with our spouse. The thing about words is they cannot be taken back, once spoken they remain in the universe forever, moreover, the way they are spoken cannot be erased for that too remains forever. Now forgiveness must follow those kinds of words, but the point is we should be aware of our place in this world, and the people we have been placed with. We should always be about assuring others rather than criticizing or being judgmental. We are told to build each other up until we reach the unity of the faith. This is about loving God with our whole being and loving others as we love ourselves. How can we speak anything but kindly to those we love? Yet, we fail, and we miss the mark, but that should not mean that it is our goal. Our goal is to speak kindly, assuring others, building them up, and encouraging them to be all that God intends them to be. We all have the word of God, and yet we fail, as perfection has yet come to us, however, at the same time we leave those failures beyond and we strain forward to the mark, the finish line. Still, part of the straining forward is remembering we are in the place God wants us while assuring others, and speaking kindly.