Trust Carefully

"But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him... Now Joseph said to them on the third day, 'Do this and live, for I fear God:  if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households, and bring your youngest brother to me, so your words may be verified, and you will not die.'. And they did so."  -Genesis 42.8, 18-20

Finally, after all of these years, Joseph comes face to face with his brothers again.  He hasn't forgotten them, but they think he's dead of maybe a lowly servant.   They aren't looking for him anywhere let alone number two in command of Egypt.  Plus that was close to twenty years ago.  He was I his teens when they sold him, now he's a man.  

It could have been an immediate family reunion.  Joseph shows them who he is, they apologize, everyone's happy.  But that isn't what Joseph does.  He was deeply wounded by these guys years ago, and so he doesn't just blindly trust them.  He is careful and he takes his time, waiting to see who they are now.

Men, let us learn to trust carefully.  How many times have we rushed into a decision or relationship and gotten burned?  I've done this many times, and the pain and let down that often follows is an unnecessary hardship to bear.    But if we trust carefully, is we test the waters before we fully commit, or spill our hearts, we save ourselves a lot of grief.

I'm not saying to live a paranoid existence that never let's anyone in.  I'm not saying to never drop the rugged exterior and allow people to see what's beneath the surface.  I'm saying be careful.  Your heart and emotions are previous things.   I'm not saying when someone hurts you trust is over forever.  But at the same time I am saying that when so women hurts you don't fully trust them right away and put yourself in the same position again.

Who knows how the story ends if Joseph just lays it all on the line here.  He doesn't find out if his brothers have changed.  He doesn't find out if they have any regret.  But because he is careful he is able to learn so much.  

Let us trust carefully and make well informed decisions.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor