Family Feuds

Joseph & His Brothers

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented [h] robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it."
So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

19 "Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. 20 "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams." -Genesis 37:3-7, 19-20

It seems like so much of Genesis is wrapped up in sibling rivalry: Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, now Joseph and his brothers. But what do we do with it? In many ways it seems crazy. So many things in this story just ask/beg for sibling rivalry. Israel seems unashamed by his greater love for Joseph. He gives him this special coat. Then, Joseph proceeds to tell these dreams about sheaves of grain bowing down to him to his brothers! In a way, it seems like he asked for it.

But then I suppose if you don't tell your family, who do you tell? Joseph's a smart boy, so he must've known what his brothers would think of his dreams. There's something refreshing about the way he says it anyway.


Not Peace, But a Sword: Love Jesus Above Brothers

1"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
" 'a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law -
36a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'[c]

37"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.


This verse has always been so challenging to me, because I can relate to it so well. In my list of priorities, my family is right up there. They are so important to me... and not just my immediate family, but my cousins, uncles, aunts, great aunt as well. It's hard for me to understand how some families have cousins they see once every 10 years, when I see all mine at least twice a year it seems, more when I go back home. But this also helps me to really understand the challenge presented in this verse.

I remember when I first told my parents that I wanted to serve in BVS in another country for two years, they had their opinions. They were worried, concerned, nervous and eventually they came around to appreciating and understanding my decision. But at first that decision for me to leave was painful. Why do you want to leave? I was leaving the family to follow God.

And now I look at sometime in the future making a similar decision. Wherever God sends Brad and I into ministry, into whatever kind of ministry opens to us, we'll go. My own plans were to go back East and live close to my family, but I lose my own life, my own plans... to follow the Lord.