LIGHTING THE ADVENT WREATH: The Second Candle

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 37:3-5, 23-28

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him. Once Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. …So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers agreed. When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

LESSON

Joseph might have been annoying when he told his brothers about the dreams he had. But he certainly didn’t deserve to be thrown into a pit or sold into slavery. His brothers let their jealousy get the best of them. The good thing is that Jesus knows all about being at the bottom of a dark pit when you don’t deserve it. He knows about being betrayed by the people closest to him. But he still loves people like Joseph’s brothers. He still loves people like us who make mistakes and do things we shouldn’t. He forgives us and welcomes us back.

THINK OR TALK ABOUT

Right now, do you feel more like Joseph or his brothers? Why?

PRAYER

God, bring light to people who are in a pit, and forgive the people who have thrown them in there.