After the patriarch Jacob had died, the ten elder brothers were anxious that Joseph would now take his vengeance against them for having sold him into slavery (Genesis 50:15). They therefore made up a story about how Jacob had given them some specific instructions before he died: they were to give Joseph the message that their father intended for Joseph to forgive his brothers (50:16-17).

The text does not clearly say whether or not Joseph believed their story. It does show us, though, that he had decided that he would not punish them for their act. “Do not be afraid,” he told them. “Am I in the place of God?” (50:19) – thus indicating Joseph’s understanding that it is for God to judge, rather than for us to do so.

And then Joseph told them this (another of the great Bible verses we would all do well to memorize): “Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good” (50:20). Joseph was not in doubt about how his brothers’ malice against him had led them to their plan to destroy his life; but he also could see how God had thereby moved him into place to save the lives of all the people in the family.

When people have caused us distress, it is good to know that even though they have meant it for evil, God will find the way to use it for good. That doesn’t make their actions right: but it gives us the confidence that God’s mercy will still somehow bring forth blessing from the worst of circumstances.

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Help us, O Lord, in the midst of heartbreak and suffering, to remember the power of your grace: you create redemption for us all, sinners and sinned against, in ways that we would never have dreamed possible. Blessed be your name.