Joseph is one of my favorite persons in the Old Testament! You can read the beautiful story of Joseph---his amazing dreams---his trials---his sterling character---his tender forgiveness--- in chapters 37-50 of Genesis. Let's take a little peek as Joseph talks with his brethren after the death of their father.
"And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold we be thy servants.
And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: ---- ye thought evil against me: but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. (What a wonderful lesson for each of us to remember)!
Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them and spake kindly unto them."
One of the most beautiful stories of forgiveness in all the Bible is this very tender and touching account of the miraculous reunion between Joseph, his father and his brethren as recorded in the last six chapters of Genesis.
This blessed word "forgiveness" is undoubtedly one of the sweetest, most consoling and healing words known to man. It is wonderful to be forgiven, and it is also wonderful to forgive! When we humbly forgive and pardon those who have wronged us, our souls seem to be flooded with unspeakable joy and peace---kind of like we feel when Jesus forgives us of every sin and puts them in the sea of His forgetfulness! Praise the Lord!
But if we hold on to the injustice we have suffered, and nurse it, it becomes a festering wound, filling our mind and spirit with bitterness like the poison of cancer, and it is impossible for our Heavenly Father to forgive us if we do not forgive our fellow man!
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
--Matthew 6:14-15
As we live from day to day, let us earnestly pray that Jesus will help us to always have a very tender, humble and forgiving spirit toward our fellow man.
Then, perhaps, those looking on can say: "Behold, how they love one another"!!
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