Genesis 40:16-23: a reflection

16When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head. 17In the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” 18Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days. 19Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from off you, and will hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from off you.” 20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21He restored the chief cup bearer to his position again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; 22but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23Yet the chief cup bearer didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him.

When Joseph, in prison, does good by interpreting a dream, the man he helped is restored to his position but forgets Joseph, leaving him behind; yet, though people forget the good we do, God does not forget us. Yet the chief cup bearer didn't remember Joseph, but forgot him, the account says. Joseph, unjustly imprisoned, had done a kindness to the cup bearer, interpreting his dream and asking only to be remembered when the man was restored. The cup bearer was indeed restored to his position; but he forgot Joseph, leaving him in prison, the good he had done unremembered. Yet, as the story goes on to show, though the man forgot Joseph, God did not; God remembered him and would raise him in time. This shows that though people may forget the good we do, God does not forget us. Though people may forget the good you do, God does not forget you. The good you do may go unremembered by others, but not by God. When you are forgotten by those you helped, remember that God has not forgotten you. God remembers his own even when people forget them.

Notice the disappointment Joseph faced, and the comfort beyond it. Joseph was unjustly imprisoned, suffering for a wrong he had not done. Yet even there he did good, using his gift to interpret the cup bearer's dream, and asking only that the man remember him and speak for him when he was restored. The cup bearer was restored, just as Joseph had said; but then, the account notes with quiet poignancy, he forgot Joseph. The good Joseph had done went unremembered; he was left in prison, forgotten by the very man he had helped. It is a real disappointment, the kind we know: to do good for others and then be forgotten by them, our kindness unremembered and unreturned. But the story does not end there, and neither does the comfort. For though the cup bearer forgot Joseph, God did not. God remembered Joseph, and in time raised him from the prison to great honor. This holds a comfort for us when the good we do is forgotten. People may forget the good we do, may fail to remember or return our kindness, may leave us behind and move on; this is a real and common disappointment. But God does not forget us or the good we do. Even when we are forgotten by those we have helped, God remembers us, sees us, and will not leave us finally unremembered. We do well, when the good we do is forgotten by others, to rest in the truth that God has not forgotten us, and to trust him rather than the memory or gratitude of people. When people forget the good you do, rest in the truth that God has not forgotten you. Your good may go unremembered by others, but not by God. Do not despair of being forgotten; God remembers his own. Trust God, not the memory or gratitude of people.

That is worth taking to heart, for though people may forget the good we do, God does not forget us, as God remembered Joseph though the cup bearer forgot him. We can be disappointed and left behind when those we help forget us; but though the cup bearer forgot Joseph, God remembered him and raised him in time. God remembers. When the good you do is forgotten by others, do not despair; rest in the truth that God has not forgotten you, and will remember you in his time. Rest in the truth that though people may forget the good you do and leave you behind, God does not forget you but remembers his own, as when Joseph in prison did good by interpreting a dream, the man he helped was restored but forgot Joseph, leaving him behind, yet God did not forget him, since the chief cup bearer did not remember Joseph but forgot him; for Joseph, unjustly imprisoned, had done a kindness to the cup bearer and asked only to be remembered when he was restored, and the cup bearer was indeed restored but forgot Joseph and left him in prison, the good he had done unremembered, yet as the story goes on to show, though the man forgot Joseph God did not but remembered him and would raise him in time, which holds a comfort for us when the good we do is forgotten, since people may forget the good we do and fail to remember or return our kindness and leave us behind, a real and common disappointment, but God does not forget us or the good we do, and even when we are forgotten by those we have helped God remembers us and sees us and will not leave us finally unremembered, so that we do well, when the good we do is forgotten by others, to rest in the truth that God has not forgotten us and to trust him rather than the memory or gratitude of people.

Lord, when Joseph, in prison, does good by interpreting a dream, the man he helped is restored to his position but forgets Joseph, leaving him behind; yet, though people forget the good we do, you do not forget us. Yet the chief cup bearer didn't remember Joseph, but forgot him, the account says. Joseph, unjustly imprisoned, had done a kindness to the cup bearer, interpreting his dream and asking only to be remembered when the man was restored. The cup bearer was indeed restored; but he forgot Joseph, leaving him in prison, the good he had done unremembered. Yet, as the story goes on to show, though the man forgot Joseph, you did not; you remembered him and would raise him in time. Show me the disappointment Joseph faced, and the comfort beyond it. Joseph was unjustly imprisoned, suffering for a wrong he had not done. Yet even there he did good, using his gift to interpret the cup bearer's dream, and asking only that the man remember him. The cup bearer was restored, just as Joseph had said; but then he forgot Joseph. The good Joseph had done went unremembered; he was left in prison, forgotten by the very man he had helped. It is a real disappointment, the kind I know: to do good for others and then be forgotten by them. But the story does not end there. For though the cup bearer forgot Joseph, you did not. You remembered Joseph, and in time raised him from the prison to great honor. This holds a comfort for me when the good I do is forgotten. People may forget the good I do, may fail to remember or return my kindness, may leave me behind and move on. But you do not forget me or the good I do. Even when I am forgotten by those I have helped, you remember me, see me, and will not leave me finally unremembered. Take that to my heart. When the good I do is forgotten by others, keep me from despair; help me rest, Lord, in the truth that you have not forgotten me but remember your own, and trust you rather than the memory or gratitude of people, knowing you will remember me in your time.