Genesis 50:15-21
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:15-21 (NIV)
Grace:
- “(in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.”
- “Archaic definition of grace: Mercy, Pardon.”
Al Hotz, one of my political science professors at Augustana College (now University) in Sioux Falls, SD periodically wrote the following quote on the blackboard in his class room: “Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” I venture to say that Joseph, after being sold by his brothers into slavery, eventually held near absolute power, and the ability to punish his brothers. Yet Joseph acted with amazing grace and mercy, basically pardoning his brothers for their misdeed. He was focused on utilizing his power for good, rather than wielding that power for vengeance.
“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” This proclamation from Jesus on the cross is another example of amazing grace from our Savior, who had absolute power to punish his captors/tormentors, and mock them by coming down from the cross.
These two Biblical examples of grace, were modeled in real life by members of Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston, SC in 2015, and provide a challenge for me to act on. A young man had asked to join a Bible study at the church the evening of June 17, 2015, then killed 9 members attending the Bible study. From Cody Keenan’s book “Grace,” family members of the victims spoke at the young man’s bond hearing. Five of those who spoke all communicated words of grace, I forgive you, or my family forgives you. One of the family members, the daughter of a 70 year old sexton of the church stated: “You took something very precious away from me. I will never talk to her ever again. I will never be able to hold her again. You hurt a lot of people. But God forgives you. And I forgive you.”
As the definition above states, our Christian belief is that grace is free and unmerited. I have to disagree that it’s free, as Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving his life to save us. I do believe God’s grace, and the forgiveness given by the members of Emanuel African Methodist Church is unmerited.
Grace is a challenging gift for me to understand, and model. Yet, I’ve experienced the weight that is lifted from me, when I’ve forgiven someone, and placed my trust in the following quote. “I never knew how strong I was, until I had to forgive someone who wasn’t sorry and accept an apology I never received.”
Questions for Reflection:
- Is there a hurt you’ve experienced, where you’ve not been able to forgive the person or persons responsible?
- If so, have you prayed to the Lord for the strength to overcome the harm, and forgive the individual(s)?
Prayer:
Lord, Thank You for the blessing of Your grace, an unmerited gift You offer us, for which You sacrificed Your perfect life. I pray for the strength to model Your gift of grace by forgiving others when I’ve been hurt. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Login To Leave Comment