The Joseph story arc ( Genesis 37-50 ) in the book of Genesis is quite the saga with parental preferences, arrogance, family misdeeds, slavery, attempted seduction, divine dreams, court intrigue, famine, rescue, power plays, deceit, and karma. (Whew!)

We join the story near to the end ( Genesis 50:15-21 ) when the brothers fear that their baby brother (now grown politically powerful) will finally hand out their punishment for past wrong-doing. Instead they are confronted with grace! Forgiveness!

His brothers had mistreated him, but Joseph (the son with the coat of many colors) was able to discern that the Lord had used that misdeed in order to save many peoples’ lives — including their own.

In a similar way, in ( Romans 8:26-28 ) Paul argues that God is always at work in matters, good and bad, to bring about healing and salvation.

Both these men (Joseph and Paul) had been on the receiving end of brutality and unjust treatment, yet they were able to see beyond their own situations to discern the good that was being birthed in the midst of their circumstances.

Are you and I able to do that? When? What helps us do that and what gets in the way?

In today’s political lexicon, the word “snowflake” is used against those (both liberal and conservative) who are so accustomed to things going their way that they overreact to any difficulty with extreme statements, like comparing whatever inconvenience or disagreement they are experiencing to the holocaust!

Where does our perseverance and perspective come from? How do we tap into that?

(The contemporary service — Cross Connect — is having a similar series based on the novel-like continuous narrative of the biblical accounts presented in the book The Story. If your class or small group is studying this, you will need to pick up your copy. Traditional services will share similar themes each week, but will be focused on one scriptural story at a time.)

I’ll see you Sunday in the Sanctuary. I wo uld love to get your comments or questions. Just click here.