Genesis 40 :4

 

« The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them. »This is the well-known story of when Joseph is wrongly accused and put in prison and that some time later, the chief cupbearer and chief baker of Pharaoh are put in custody with Joseph for unknown reasons. Joseph, who never did a thing to deserve to be there, now has to “attend” those fellow prisoners. I don’t know what it implies at all but I thought it was interesting.  

I read that passage today and I thought that if a guy like Joseph who was smart and that God was with him always, could bend low and attend fellow new-prisoners; I should have the same attitude. I should be able to do the things that I know in my head are good and pleasing to God. I should not just think I am wise in my own eyes and set a line in between me and the “others”. No. I am to attend my fellow brothers and sisters, I am to help and uphold and apologize, humble myself and just realize I am among them, not above them.  

Something happened this afternoon with someone. Let’s say quickly that I was right and the person was wrong. And that I tried to make this person understand that it was fine that she was wrong, that it was not even a big deal. But the person would not admit she was wrong in any way. So the person became upset out-of-proportions and wanted to be left alone.
Man. Yeah, I was right, but the issue was so unimportant that I did not need to push it too far. I should have dropped the matter and let this person believe she was right (the matter was really something like “Someone told me that the cat was black, and I’d say, no, I remember clearly I saw it, the cat was white”). After a few minutes, I went to this person again and apologized for my attitude. The person said it was alright. I basically apologized in order to set an example before this person and I hope I will learn to not be so proud and that this person will learn from the bit of “humility” I showed my apologizing. 

Then I remembered Joseph’s story. Joseph was right in his doing and he had to attend fellow prisoners. I was not totally right in my doing and I had to apologize to someone who should have apologized to me as well. I felt that it was not fair, but eh, I let it go. I’m realizing that I must act according to what I believe, and sometimes, it requires me to bend low and “attend my fellow prisoners”. 

I don’t want to think I’m smart or good. I’m learning and I hope I grow and do the right things more often.