The final test for Joseph’s brothers is an intense one. Personally, I can’t help but find my mind drift to the intensity of this scene in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Joseph and the Technicolour dream coat.’ The questions of ‘who could it be?’ The checking of each of the bags for the missing cup, the horror when Benjamin is revealed as the ‘culprit’! It’s well worth a re-watch!

Joseph has seen that the brothers are more amenable to their younger brother than they were to him, but now it was time to test the depths of their hearts. Will they be willing to put their own lives on the line for him? This would be a total reversal of their treatment of Joseph. With Joseph, they desired his death so they could thrive. But now with Benjamin they are prioritising his life and their father’s wellbeing before their own desires. They are totally different people.

In the most amazing of circumstances, God had used Joseph to bring about a complete 180 degree turn in his brothers’ hearts. I wonder if God has put people in our life to bring about a change in our hearts? Has he called us to stir up a change of heart in someone else? I doubt we will be called to test people like Joseph, but perhaps there is a difficult question that needs to be asked, or a topic that needs to be broached in order to help someone make the change they need to in their life. It may be that a word of encouragement or the prod of a question is enough for God to do the work of melting and moulding hearts?

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Question:

Has God put people in your life that steer you back onto the right path when you stray? What did they do?

Is there anyone you have been called to do this with?

Prayer:

Father, thank you for the people you put in our life that guide us back to the right path. Keep me in step with your ways. Amen.