Genesis 44:1-6: a reflection

1He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in his sack’s mouth. 2Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 4When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good? 5Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’” 6He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.

Before Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, he tests them one final time, having his silver cup hidden in the sack of the youngest, Benjamin, and then sending his steward to accuse them. It looks like a trap, but Joseph is testing his brothers, who years before had sold him into slavery, to see whether they have truly changed, whether they will abandon Benjamin as they once abandoned Joseph, or stand by him. He does not rush to reveal himself and reconcile; he first tests, wisely, whether their hearts are genuinely changed.

Notice Joseph's careful testing before reconciliation. He had reason to wonder whether his brothers were still the men who had sold him; and rather than assume, or rush to a reconciliation their hearts might not be ready for, he tested them. He arranged a situation that would reveal whether they had truly changed, whether they would sacrifice Benjamin to save themselves, as they had once sacrificed Joseph, or stand by their brother now. His testing was not cruelty, but wisdom; he sought to know their hearts before trusting them, to discern whether the change was genuine.

That is worth taking to heart, for there is wisdom in discerning genuine change before extending full trust. We can be tempted, in reconciling, to assume change that has not happened, to extend full trust where the heart has not truly turned; but Joseph tested whether his brothers were genuinely changed before revealing himself. There is a place for wisely discerning whether change is real, not to withhold forgiveness, but to know where trust can safely rest. Do not assume genuine change where it has not been shown, extending full trust prematurely; discern wisely, as Joseph tested his brothers, whether the change is real. Discern wisely whether change is genuine before resting full trust upon it, as Joseph tested his brothers before revealing himself, not out of cruelty but wisdom; for forgiveness may be freely given, but trust is wisely tested, and there is wisdom in discerning whether a change of heart is real.

Lord, before Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, he tests them one final time, having his silver cup hidden in the sack of the youngest, Benjamin, and then sending his steward to accuse them. It looks like a trap, but Joseph is testing his brothers, who years before had sold him into slavery, to see whether they have truly changed, whether they will abandon Benjamin as they once abandoned Joseph, or stand by him. He does not rush to reveal himself and reconcile; he first tests, wisely, whether their hearts are genuinely changed. Show me Joseph's careful testing before reconciliation. He had reason to wonder whether his brothers were still the men who had sold him; and rather than assume, or rush to a reconciliation their hearts might not be ready for, he tested them. His testing was not cruelty, but wisdom; he sought to know their hearts before trusting them, to discern whether the change was genuine. Take that to my heart, for there is wisdom in discerning genuine change before extending full trust. I can be tempted, in reconciling, to assume change that has not happened, to extend full trust where the heart has not truly turned; but Joseph tested whether his brothers were genuinely changed. There is a place for wisely discerning whether change is real, not to withhold forgiveness, but to know where trust can safely rest. Keep me from assuming genuine change where it has not been shown, extending full trust prematurely; help me discern wisely, Lord, as Joseph tested his brothers, whether the change is real.