Lesson 16: Examples of Forgiving - Joseph (part 2)

Read Genesis 40.
Genesis 40:23 - Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Joseph interpreted dreams for two of the king’s servants who had been sent to jail because one of them had tried to kill the king, but he didn’t know which one. God sent dreams to both men, and the dreams scared them. So the captain of the prison sent Joseph to them to interpret their dreams for them. And just as Joseph told them, the baker – the guilty man – was executed for his crime and the cup-bearer – innocent – was restored to his position. Joseph asked this cup-bearer to please remember him when he returned to the palace.

But the cup-bearer forgot all about Joseph. For two more years Joseph remained in prison, unjustly, because this man forgot his promise to help.

In the last lesson we learned about forgiveness when someone intentionally tells lies about us, falsely accuses us of some wrong. In that case we have an intentional deed done against us and we know whom to forgive. But what about when someone simply forgets about us or about a promise made? This makes us feel unimportant. We might feel that if we remind this person of what they promised, we might embarrass them, and this is something we do not want to do.

We can also turn this around – what if we forget a promise we made to someone? What if they come to us upset because we have hurt their feelings by making them feel as if we no longer care about them?


Jesus said in Matthew 5:23-24 - So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
In Matthew 18:15 Jesus turns it around - If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

Again, we know Joseph forgave the cup-bearer because he continued to serve in the role in prison that he had been given. Psalm 37:8 says bitterness leads to anger which only leads to evil. And in Romans 6:23 we read that all sin leads to death.

In the Matthew 18 verse above, Jesus said we should go to the person who has wronged us to seek peace through forgiveness. What happens if, like Joseph, you cannot go to the person? We still forgive. We still turn it over to Jesus and forgive the person in our promise to Him.

Prayer today: Lord Jesus, help me to forgive [name] who forgot the promise they made to me. I give it all to You because I know Your love will never fail, and You will never forsake me. Thank You for Your great love.