Genesis 37:1-7: a reflection

1Jacob lived in the land of his father’s travels, in the land of Canaan. 2This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father. 3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a tunic of many colors. 4His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him. 5Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more. 6He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.”

The story of Joseph and his brothers begins with a father's favoritism and the hatred it bred: Jacob loved Joseph more than all his other sons, and showed it, making him a special coat; and his brothers, seeing that their father loved him more, hated Joseph and could not speak peaceably to him. His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, the account says, and couldn't speak peaceably to him. Jacob's open favoritism, singling out one son above the others, sowed division and hatred among the brothers; the unequal love, made visible, bred resentment and bitterness. This is a sobering picture of the harm that favoritism can do, sowing division and hatred where there should be love. Favoritism sowed division and hatred among the brothers. Unequal love, shown openly, bred resentment. Favoritism does real harm, breeding division. Shown favoritism sows bitterness and hatred.

Notice the fruit of Jacob's favoritism. He loved Joseph more than his other sons, and did not hide it; he gave Joseph a special coat, a visible mark of his preference. And the result was not good: the brothers, seeing themselves loved less, came to hate Joseph, so that they could not even speak peaceably to him. The unequal, openly-shown love bred resentment, jealousy, and hatred among those who should have been bound in love. This is a warning about the real harm favoritism can do. When we single out some for special favor over others, especially those who should be treated with equal love, we sow division, resentment, and bitterness; we set people against one another. Favoritism is not a harmless preference; it can poison relationships and breed hatred, as it did among Joseph's brothers. We do well to guard against favoritism, to love and treat fairly those in our care, rather than sowing the division that favoritism breeds. Favoritism breeds resentment and poisons relationships. Guard against showing favoritism, which sows division. Unequal love, openly shown, sets people against one another. Treat those in your care fairly, not with favoritism.

That is worth taking to heart, for favoritism does real harm, sowing division, resentment, and hatred, as Jacob's favoritism toward Joseph bred his brothers' hatred. We can single out some for special favor over others, showing unequal love openly, thinking it harmless; but Jacob's open preference for Joseph bred resentment and hatred among the brothers, so that they could not speak peaceably to him. Favoritism poisons relationships. Guard against showing favoritism among those in your care; love and treat them fairly, rather than sowing the division favoritism breeds. Guard against favoritism, which sows division, resentment, and hatred, as Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons and showed it openly, making him a special coat, so that his brothers, seeing themselves loved less, hated Joseph and could not speak peaceably to him; for when we single out some for special favor over others, especially those who should be treated with equal love, we sow division, resentment, and bitterness, setting people against one another, and favoritism is not a harmless preference but can poison relationships and breed hatred as it did among Joseph's brothers, so that we do well to guard against favoritism and to love and treat fairly those in our care rather than showing the unequal, open preference that breeds division.

Lord, the story of Joseph and his brothers begins with a father's favoritism and the hatred it bred: Jacob loved Joseph more than all his other sons, and showed it, making him a special coat; and his brothers, seeing that their father loved him more, hated Joseph and could not speak peaceably to him. His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, the account says. Jacob's open favoritism, singling out one son above the others, sowed division and hatred among the brothers; the unequal love, made visible, bred resentment and bitterness. This is a sobering picture of the harm that favoritism can do. Show me the fruit of Jacob's favoritism. He loved Joseph more than his other sons, and did not hide it; he gave Joseph a special coat, a visible mark of his preference. And the result was not good: the brothers came to hate Joseph, so that they could not even speak peaceably to him. This is a warning about the real harm favoritism can do. When I single out some for special favor over others, especially those who should be treated with equal love, I sow division, resentment, and bitterness; I set people against one another. Favoritism is not a harmless preference; it can poison relationships and breed hatred, as it did among Joseph's brothers. Take that to my heart, for favoritism does real harm. Keep me from showing favoritism among those in my care; help me love and treat them fairly, Lord, rather than sowing the division, resentment, and hatred that favoritism breeds, as Jacob's open preference for Joseph bred his brothers' hatred.