Blessed are the Merciful. . .

Good morning! I set my alarm extra early this morning so I would have plenty of time to do my readings and write my post for the day. (Although, I did get a little sidetracked by Facebook. . . )But now I am back to the task at hand.

Here's yesterday's question and answer:
Weds, Jan. 21: What does Joseph ask his steward to put in Joseph’s youngest brother’s sack as his family is preparing to return home? (Gen 44)
Genesis 44:2 2 Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one's sack, along with the silver for his grain." And he did as Joseph said.

And here's the question of the day:
Thurs, Jan. 22: When Jesus asks, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” what are the disciples’ answers? Who does Jesus say he is? (Matt 16)

And here's the reflection of the day:
Blessed are the Merciful. . .
Genesis 45:5 5 And Joseph said to his brothers, "Now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you."

One of the benefits of doing "Year of the Bible" (I think) is that hopefully as you read one piece of Scripture, it reminds you of another passage that you've read in the past. It is helpful to search for connections between passages in order to see the Bible as one, big, LOOOOONG story, instead of a book made up of of many chapters. Does that make sense? To see the BIG picture and the connections between all the "books" of the Bible.

At any rate, as I was reading this chapter of the Joseph saga, I remembered our first Bible Study on the Beatitudes. And we talked about "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." This is the example I came up with to explain what mercy means: you have been found guilty of a crime and are standing before a judge waiting to be sentenced, and instead of the judge throwing the book at you, the judge--sensing your repentance--opts to lighten your sentence or even to not punish you at all. That is mercy.

It's fair to say that in this story from Gen 45, Joseph is a MERCIFUL man. If anyone had a right to be angry, it was Joseph. And now he has his brothers' lives in his hands. He could have chosen to mete out a fair and justified punishment to them all. But he doesn't. Instead he chooses to have mercy on them, actually counseling them, "do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here. . . ."

Joseph chooses to look at the big picture, telling them, "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God" (v8). Joseph understands that all the pain and the time he spent in jail was really all a part of God's plan. Instead of letting his anger get the best of him and seeking revenge (really, who could blame him if he did?!), Joseph chooses mercy because he can see God at work in the bigger picture of his life.

What's God doing in the bigger picture of your life? Where is He calling you to be merciful?

Allison