Lesson 23 - Family Reconciliation:
 Repentance and Responsibility
 Read Genesis 43:1-45:15 - www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.43

What choices could Joseph have made differently when he saw his brothers standing before him, asking to buy food? Could he have held a grudge and not sold them food? Could he have sold the food and just let them go?

When his brothers first came to him to buy food, Joseph asked about his father and brother. He also demanded that for them to return to buy more food they would have to bring Benjamin with them. He was beginning the process of reconciliation.

The path to reconciliation begins with confession (for the person who did the wrong) or forgiveness (for the person wronged). With Joseph it began with forgiveness. We do not read the exact moment when Joseph forgave his brothers, but his statement in chapter 42 verse 18, where Joseph said he feared God, is an indication he had at that point forgiven them enough to want reconciliation with his family.

Why are forgiveness and confession important as the first step? Because these open the heart to release bitterness and anger. Only when we release this from our own heart can we step to the next item in this reconciliation process.

Step 2 is love. This would be impossible in many cases because of the hurt that may in cases last a lifetime. But with God nothing is impossible (Matthew 19:26). We see this love in Joseph in chapter 43 verse 30.

Step 3 is confrontation. We must tell the person who has wronged us what they did to hurt us. If we are the one who hurt someone else, we must still take this step, though it is more of an acknowledgement and should be accompanied by whatever restitution is possible to be made. Some sins we cannot undo.


In chapter 44 we see Judah’s acknowledgement of the brothers’ sin against Joseph, though it is not yet complete because Judah doesn’t believe he will ever meet his brother again to make any kind of confession of what they have done. But their care for Jacob in everything that has happened shows how willing he and his brothers are to make it right if only they could.

Step 4 is acceptance. The person at the receiving end of the confrontation must accept the apology as well as the invitation to reconciliation. This is seen in the first part of chapter 45 where Joseph’s brothers accept his invitation to reconciliation.

This same process can be seen in God’s call to us to reconciliation – He loved us first, and forgave us. Now He confronts us with what we have done and offers us His love and forgiveness. But we must accept His offer in order for the reconciliation to be complete.

*How can this perspective toward your own suffering make it possible for you to forgive someone who has greatly wronged or hurt you?
*How can Joseph's experience give us greater confidence in God's sovereignty over the events of our lives?