Forgiveness (version 1.0)

One of the most important parts of this study is Joseph's forgiving of his brethren. It was what Lemuel R. Pace used as the catalyst to my studying. This is attempt number one.

When I think of how Joseph spoke about the way his brethren had treated him as the will of the Lord I always think of how crazy that sounds. But today in New Testament I thought of a connection. This is like when Christ on the cross begged the Father to forgive his accusers and executors and said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," (Luke 23:29) Did they know what they did? I contend they did not. In his letter to the Corinthians Paul said, "for now we see through a glass, darkly" (1 Cor 13:12) referring to our understanding of charity and others. Without the pure love of Christ we don't see others in the proper context. We only think of self and don't really comprehend the actions and feelings of those around us.
Joseph's brethren were angry and jealous. We know from a letter to the Corinthians that charity "envieth not...seeketh not her own..." (1 Cor 13:4,5) so they didn't have charity and that means they didn't see Joseph in the right light. So their actions were not with full understanding.
What does this mean for us today? Elder Jeffrey R Holland tells us that "true charity, the absolutely pure, perfect love of Christ, has really been known only once in this world - in the form of Christ Himself, the living Son of the living God," (BYU Speeches of the Year, Feb 2000). Therefore we cannot honestly say that anyone has the proper perspective on anyone else. So when others do us harm we must step back and remember to, "forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Rising Above Our Trials

I am so tired sometimes. The weight of my responsibilities (small as they may be) falls down on me, almost crushing me at times. It is as if all hell has come against me to keep me from those things that I should be doing. While they do not win any great battles (immorality, murder, etc.), they seem to conquer dozens of the smaller ones.

This is certainly one way Joseph has outclassed me by a mile. That man was unconquerable. He didn't ever quit. He didn't let the devil and his soldiers pin him down. Time after time he was confronted by the temptations of the world (Potiphar's wife, depression in slavery/jail, etc.) and continued in righteousness. We know he did because God continually blessed everything he did.

Every now and then I wish I could talk to him. He seems so untouchable at times and I so weak and foolish. I know he faced comparable trials and has good answers on how to overcome those I face, but I also know that isn't the way of things. Joseph wasn't given a guide through life to stand next to him and walk him through it all. The Lord said "it is not meet that [he] should commanded in all things," (D&C 58:26). No, Joseph was expected to discern and to discover like the rest of us.

I suppose the major difference is how he approached life. He was humble. He recognized that all the good in his life came from God - whether it was the end result of being thrown in a pit or the ability to interpret dreams and so forth. He attached this principle to his very soul and it showed in all he did. Even in the face of Pharaoh, Joseph told him that it was God whose hand was in his dreams.

If we, or more specifically I, were to employ ourselves better at living the gospel to its fullest; remembering all good things come from God; perhaps we would find ourselves a little better off, a little less tired, a little more spiritual and able to handle the trials and tribulations that come our way.