When Joseph was put in Pharaoh’s prison because of Potiphar’s wife, he never had a chance to defend himself on the case. And even if he did make a defend, Potiphar must have not listened to him, since he was put in anyway.
I can’t imagine how hurt Joseph’s feeling was. I think he had all the reasons in the world to be bitter in heart. He’d been misunderstood. He’d been falsely accused. He didn’t deserve that place, but he must accept the reality. He must take the penalty.
And the most waited time finally arrived when Joseph was promoted as the prime minister over Egypt, the second man after Pharaoh in the whole land. In movies, we’ll see (and hope to see) that it’s time for the good guy to take revenge, or at least, to give proper discipline to the bad guy. But we never see such movie plot in Joseph’s story. I find nowhere in the bible that says anything about his revenge. Instead, he just simply did what he used to do, carried on with his life and did the best in every responsibility handed to him.
How about us? If we were in the same position as Joseph, what would we have done? I myself would have probably gave Potiphar’s position to someone else, or even sent him to the same place where I spent two agonic years there!
But, doing such things would only please myself, not God. For God said, “Revenge is my right.” Thus, doing so, I’d gave no place to God, my Creator, the Owner of my life. Taking revenge, even if it’s legally done, means that we’re playing God, taking His position, and it would make us a rebel before Him.
As a believer, Joseph believed that each agony he faced was in God’s control. He believed that it was God’s Hand that brought him to Egypt, according to His fathomless purpose. To Joseph, God was not a kind of God who creates something and then leaves. His God preserves His creation, even in calamity, when everything seems wrong, and God seems to be so far away. God is always near, and He is working!
When we know who’s the real Owner of our lives, we’ll then step aside from revenge’s path. We’ll dip our purpose in His purpose. We’ll walk in Joseph’s path. We’ll walk in forgiveness’ path!
God bless us. Amen.
