When Family Gets Messy
Sharon Jaynes
Today’s Truth
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:20 NIV).
Friend to Friend
My family growing up was one big mess. Fighting. Arguing. Yelling. Crying. And eventually, a lot of forgiving. If ever there is a place to learn about forgiveness…to practice forgiveness…to struggle with forgiveness…it is in the family. And interestingly, it is in the context of family where the word forgiveness first shows up in the Bible.
Let’s dig into Scripture today. Come on. You can do it.
In the book of Genesis, we meet a young man named Joseph—the eleventh of twelve brothers, and favorite son of Jacob. He is most famously known for his elaborate coat of many colors. Young Joseph had several prophetic dreams involving his brothers and father one day bowing down to him. Rather than keep that bit of information to himself, he shared it with his already jealous siblings. When he was seventeen, his brothers had enough of this rather bratty brother.
So one day, when Joseph went out to the fields to check on them, they schemed to throw him in a well, shred his fancy coat, and tell Jacob his favorite son had been killed by a wild animal. Just after they had tossed him in the pit, a Midianite caravan came passing by. Then they hatched another plan; rather than leave Joseph to die, they sold him into slavery and pocketed a bit of money in the process.
Joseph served as a slave in the home of a high-ranking official named Potiphar. While there, he was falsely accused of sexually assaulting Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison. (And you thought you were having a bad day.)
During his prison stay, he interpreted dreams for some of his fellow inmates. One day the Pharaoh of Egypt had a disturbing dream that no one could interpret. The Pharaoh’s cupbearer, who had been in prison with Joseph, told the King about Joseph’s gift of interpretation.
Joseph interpreted the Pharaoh’s dream, and predicted seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. The Pharaoh was so enamored with Joseph’s God-given wisdom that he appointed him governor of Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh himself.
During the famine, who should show up in Egypt looking for food but Joseph’s conniving brothers? They were terrified when the governor revealed that he was their long lost brother. “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!” There were tears all around. Don’t you know they were terrified? What would Joseph do? What would you do?
This was Joseph’s response to the injustice inflicted by his brothers: “And now, do not be distressed, and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you…You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Gen. 45:5; 50:20).
Joseph did not say, “Oh, that’s OK. Don’t worry about it.” No, he called the betrayal what it was—evil against him that resulted in thirteen years of slavery. At the same time, he chose to forgive the wrong done to him, and allow God’s grace to flow through him. He opened the door for reconciliation and entrusted the matter of justice to God.
Thus ends Genesis, the first book of the Bible. We close out the epic narrative with a portrait of forgiveness that continues throughout the entire Bible, and it all begins with a very mixed-up family. I’m sort of glad. That gives me great comfort. I hope it does for you.
Forgiveness prevents us from getting stuck in the bad parts of our stories and opens a door for a new ending.
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, family is so messy. We hurt each other and love each other, sometimes at the same time. Help me to forgive quickly. Help me to allow every situation to make me better and not become bitter. Help me to trust in Your sovereignty in every situation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
*** You thought you were having a bad day ***
위 문장 종속절을 동명사구로 바꾸면 어떨까?
1. you thought [having a bad day]. 나쁜 날을 가지기를 생각했다
2. you thought about having a bad day. 나쁜 날을 가지는 것에 대한 생각을 했다
1번은 억지 의미고 2번은 실제로 나쁜 일이 일어나는 것은 아니고 나쁜 날에 대한 생각을 하는 것이므로
실제로 나쁜 날을 경험한다고 생각한다는 원 의미와는 달리 진다
그러므로 나쁜 일이 실제로 벌어지는 상황에서 '재수 없는 날이네' 하고 생각한다면
생각의 대상인 that절에 be+v-ing 진행 구조를 써 주어야 실제 상황이 올바로 묘사된다
이건 단지 작문에 관련한 얘기지만 인생사에 관련된 얘기로 가자면
살다 보면 나쁜 날들을 경험하기도 하는데 그건 요셉에 비교할 바는 아니다 보이지만
나쁜 짓 안 했는데도 다른 이의 잘못으로 나에게 나쁜 일이 일어나면 기분 나빠할 수도 있고
나쁜 날을 면제해 주시라고 기도 했는데도 불구하고 계속되면 믿음조차 헌신짝 버리듯 버릴 수도 있지만
내 생각은 어디까지나 내 생각이지 하나님의 생각은 아니라는 점이고
그 증명은 이사야 55:8에 기록되어 있으니 본인 견해가 아니라는 것이 증명되는데
진짜 나쁜 날들을 줄줄이 겪은 요셉의 입에서 나온 말도
자기가 만난 나쁜 사람들이 벌린 나쁜 날들이 나쁜/악한 목적을 위한 것이었지만
하나님께서는 그 악한 목적을 이용하여 하나님의 선하신 목적을 이루셨다고 증언하므로
다시금 이사야 55:11의 말씀이 사실/진실/현실임이 증명되는데
내 별볼일 없는 허접하고 치사한 생각대로 내 인생이 마무리되지 않고
하나님의 선하신 생각대로 마무리될 것이 피할 수 없는 진리의 운명?이라는 것이 판단되면
내 나쁜 상황과 생각에만 얽매여 하나님의 생각/현실을 망각하는 오만방자를 덜 떨 것이므로
우리에게 나쁜 날이 실제로 벌어지고 내 근시안에는 끝도 안 보이고 있어도
선하신 하나님께서는 선하신 목적을 이루실 것이라는 믿음과 희망을 저버리지 않아야
요셉처럼 언젠가는 "하나님께서 악을 선으로 바꾸셨다!" 하며 승리의 찬가를 부를 수 있지 않을까?
해서 글 주인의 동의도 없이 제목을 You thought you were having a bad day로 해 봅니다만
이 역시도 글에 나온 내용이라 큰 탈은 없을 줄로 사료됩니다