The deceptive hearts of Jacob’s sons eventually bit their own when in a group-fit of hatred and jealousy, they sold their little brother Joseph to some traveling slave traders. But God brought Joseph through family violence, slavery, false accusation, imprisonment, and possible bitterness of heart and vengeful thinking toward all those he could have easily blamed for his misfortune. He completes his life as one of the most influential leaders in the world at the time, saving many Egyptians and other nations from death by famine and drought.

Lesson: God can bring good out of the dry, painful, unjust episodes of our lives.

I like what Jacob said about his son Joseph before he died, “The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harrassed him severely, yet his bow remained UNMOVED; his arms were MADE AGILE by the hands of the Might One of Jacob” (Genesis 49:23-24). God kept Joseph from falling by the arrows of discouragement, despair, bitterness, dissappointment, etc. And God used him and grew him and blessed him in His time.