Joseph’s brothers sold him into the bondage of Egypt and then lied to their dad, Jacob (Israel) about what had happened to him. After being sold into slavery, the Lord did not leave nor forsake Joseph. In fact, Joseph was rewarded for his faith and during the seven years of the great famine, eventually Joseph’s brothers had to come to Egypt to where Joseph had filled up Egypt’s storehouse with much grain.

When Joseph’s brothers came before him, they didn’t even recognize him because it had been so long but he certainly recognized them! When Joseph finally revealed who he was to his brothers, they were greatly dismayed and couldn’t even answer his questions about his their dad. Why do you supposed they were so dismayed? Because they knew that they had did Joseph wrongly. There is an important lesson in this which my parents, especially my dad, taught me.

I was taught that you have to be careful how you treat others because you never know who’s help you will need. Something about the way we treat each other today speaks to the fact that we don’t value their lives, and at the same time, we don’t value our lives. We should live in a manner to where we value each other with respect, honor, and love. As you often hear me say, God did not put any of us to live in this world without needing to rely on each. So, that is my encouragement for you today: live in a manner to where you value yourself by also valuing all of those around you.