The wounds of Joseph.

Sometimes when we've been through too much we feel like there is so much anger inside that you have to take it out on something. It doesn't matter who or what. Anything which presents itself at convenience can be made into a target, fair play and a potential site to offload all the explosives of injustice and trauma that we've accumulated over the years in rage.

Joseph was in that place. When presented with the opportunity, he wanted to make it hard on his brothers and test to see whether all those years had really changed their hard and evil hearts. Was there any mercy and kindness in them at all? 

Joseph was out of control in anger at the injustice all the bitter suffering which went to his head. The bible presents the saints in all their human element. No warts are glossed over. The injustice was real and epic in depth - they had sold his 13 years of his life away on a whim. So when the situation presented itself, he took the opportunity to lash out. Ultimately it was Jacob whom was hurt and traumatised at having to release Benjamin, the father whom he loved became the unintended casualty. Ultimately he resolves to forgive on evidence of Judah's intercession and love for his father Jacob and his brother, Benjamin, and mercy and healing can begin in Jacob's house.

Anger many times points to deeper hurts and other deep issues of injustice under the surface of our seemingly normal lives. It is the insecure and afraid and vulnerable who feel anger and hatred the most. The powerful and healthy have not so much experience of stinging anger of injustice than the pauper and the weak and defenceless. Joseph was vulnerable when he was hurt - a mere youth defenceless against 9 older brothers some of whom were young men when he was but a teenager at 17. Is it any wonder that he bound Simeon, meaning 'hearing' when only one brother heeded or heard his cry for mercy in the waterless pit? The hearing one heard no cry for mercy but hardened his heart and the oldest, Judah who should have stood up for the little brother Joseph, kept silent. Reuben is the one who saves Joseph's life the first time, but later it is Judah, the oldest who stands up for Benjamin the youngest of the lot. 

Joseph had 9 people to forgive 9 major wounds which needed healing and mercy to heal deeply. Most of us might not have so many or as deep wounds to heal and that is why this story is still so powerful in its applications for our healing.