Genesis 41-44 show us God was, indeed, with Joseph! When Pharaoh had two dreams no one could interpret, the cupbearer remembered Joseph. Joseph was brought to interpret the dream, and you have to love his honesty. When Pharaoh told Joseph he had been told that Joseph could interpret his dreams, Joseph said, “I can’t do it.” Imagine, being set free from prison to come before the King of Egypt, and given the opportunity to gain your freedom if you could interpret a couple dreams. Would you say, “I can’t do it.”? Joseph followed up the comment by saying God would do it. And God did it. Joseph’s interpretations proved correct, and resulted in him becoming Pharaoh’s right-hand-man.
When the famine spread to neighboring lands, Joseph’s brothers left Israel and travelled to Egypt to see whether they could buy grain. Just as God had shown Joseph, his brothers knelt down before him. The drama of the situation must have been intense, because it certainly reads that way! As we close out today’s reading, Joseph is about to reveal himself to his brothers, but the experience of having them all with him was overwhelming. God’s grace in Joseph is so powerful he holds no animosity toward his brothers. He strings them along for a time, but his ultimate intention is to save them and his entire family.
What would you have done in such a situation? Would you be able to forgive such a plot against you? The short answer is: only if God were with you. God’s presence in Joseph’s life throughout his time in Egypt was never more obvious than in his interactions with his brothers. We often say, “I don’t get mad, I get even,” but Joseph held no such intentions. We can learn so much from his response to his brothers.
As we turn to Mark 12, we see Jesus interacting with the religious leaders. Jesus knows His time on earth is short, His crucifixion is near. Yet, He takes the time to tell a parable about the impending death, and the implications of it. Then He shows the Sadducees and Pharisees that none of their questions can trap Him. He demonstrates the reality of the resurrection, and the ultimate authority of God. Finally, He stumps the religious leaders with the question of how the Messiah can be both David’s son and Lord.
Chapter 12 ends with Jesus pointing out to the disciples the faith of a poor widow who gives her last two pennies to God. Jesus reminds the disciples the woman’s gift is incredible, because it was all she had. The quantity of our gift isn’t the measure of it, but the quantity of the sacrifice involved in the gift. As we give our time, talents, treasure and touch as Jesus’ followers, we do well to remember the widow’s example, and Jesus’ response to it.