Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!” Genesis 37:9 (NLT)
In today’s chapter, the book of Genesis takes up the story of Joseph who was Jacob’s son by Rachel. One of the stark contrasts we immediately see in the young Joseph is that he is a plain spoken truth teller born into a family system steeped in deception. Joseph had a dream and shared the dream with his brothers despite the ill-will and retribution it generated from his brothers. In this way, Joseph foreshadows the prophets who would also share God’s message through their dreams and visions and earn the ill-will and retribution of the nation.
Followers of Jesus are commanded to “speak the truth in love,” but I have come to appreciate the courage required to faithfully do so. Speaking truth often requires us to say what others do not want to hear. Doing it “in love” requires us to bless and be gracious with those who will respond to truth the way Joseph’s brothers did.
I have always struggled to balance my desire to be an obedient truth-teller with my personality of being a people pleaser. So often I err too far to one extreme or the other. When I speak truth I often harden myself so as to build up the courage to do so and it comes out as callous and angry. When I try to speak in love I often soften myself to the point that I conceal truth and avoid any potential unpleasantness it would generate. Once again, I find myself trying to find the point of tension between the two extremes. I hope as I get older I’m learning to get it right once in a while.
Hey good job! You’ve picked up on the union between truth and love (see concordance for simultaneous mentions in the Psalms). These are linked more than we normally realize, and you are very right to teach on this! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by and for your comment! All the best to you!
Hey Tom – I find it interesting that as I approach 50 (gulp!) I find it easier to cut through the crap and tell the truth. BUT I have enough failures in my life that I limp – like Joseph’s dad Jacob – and have more compassion for my fellow strugglers than I used to when I was younger. I still sometimes open my mouth when it should stay shut and leave it shut when it should open. But like you, it’s getting better. We sure serve a patient God!
I’ve always found you to be good at cutting through the crap, even when we were kids. Although, maybe that was just with me!
A patient God, indeed!