Genesis 43:17-22: a reflection

17The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.” 19They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house, 20and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food. 21When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand. 22We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”

When Joseph's brothers are brought to his house, they are gripped with fear, reading threat into what is actually an invitation. They were afraid, the text says, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they suppose it is because of the money returned in their sacks, that they will be attacked and seized as slaves. In truth, they are being brought in to a meal, an honor; but their guilty consciences make them fearful and suspicious, reading danger into kindness. Their guilt bred fear, making them misread the situation.

Notice how the brothers' guilt bred fear and suspicion. They had a guilty past, their treatment of Joseph and the strange matter of the returned money; and this guilt made them fearful, suspicious, expecting punishment, reading threat into everything. What was actually an honor, being brought to the house for a meal, they read as a trap, a prelude to attack. Their guilty consciences distorted their perception, making them see danger where there was kindness. Guilt bred a fear that misread even good as threat.

That is worth taking to heart, for guilt can breed in us too a fear that distorts our perception, making us misread even kindness as threat. A guilty conscience can make us fearful, suspicious, expecting punishment, reading danger and threat into things that are not threatening, even into kindness, as the brothers' guilt made them fear a meal as a trap. Guilt distorts our perception, breeding a fear that sees threat everywhere. If you find yourself fearful and suspicious, misreading kindness as threat, consider whether guilt is breeding that fear; and bring your guilt to God for cleansing, that the fear it breeds might be relieved. Do not let guilt breed in you a fear that distorts your perception and misreads kindness as threat; deal with the guilt, bringing it to God, so that you are freed from the fear it breeds, as the brothers' guilt made them fear an honor as a trap; for a cleansed conscience is freed from the fear that guilt breeds.

Lord, when Joseph's brothers are brought to his house, they are gripped with fear, reading threat into what is actually an invitation. They were afraid, the text says, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they suppose it is because of the money returned in their sacks, that they will be attacked and seized as slaves. In truth, they are being brought in to a meal, an honor; but their guilty consciences make them fearful and suspicious. Their guilt bred fear, making them misread the situation. Show me how the brothers' guilt bred fear and suspicion. They had a guilty past; and this guilt made them fearful, expecting punishment, reading threat into everything. What was actually an honor, they read as a trap. Their guilty consciences distorted their perception, making them see danger where there was kindness. Take that to my heart, for guilt can breed in me too a fear that distorts my perception, making me misread even kindness as threat. A guilty conscience can make me fearful, suspicious, expecting punishment, reading danger into things that are not threatening. Guilt distorts my perception. If I find myself fearful and suspicious, misreading kindness as threat, help me consider whether guilt is breeding that fear; and help me bring my guilt to you for cleansing. Keep me from letting guilt breed in me a fear that distorts my perception; help me deal with the guilt, bringing it to you, Lord, so that I am freed from the fear it breeds. Thank you that a cleansed conscience is freed from the fear that guilt breeds.