Fig Leaves and a Fancy Coat

Have you ever been treated harshly? Have you ever been rejected and despised by someone you thought might actually love you? 

The deepest hurts, the most painful betrayals come from the people closest to us. You can't very well be betrayed by someone whose opinion doesn't matter much to you. But to be stripped and thrown into a pit to die by your very own brothers? That's a whole new level of heartbreak, but that's what happened to Joseph, son of Israel, in Genesis 37. Verses 23-24 of the Complete Jewish Bible put it this way:

So it was that when Yosef arrived to be with his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the long-sleeved robe he was wearing, and took him and threw him into the cistern (the cistern was empty; without any water in it).

There'd been some tension between Joseph and his brothers --half-brothers, actually, and that was part of the problem. Joseph and his brother, Benjamin, were the product of Israel's relationship with his favorite wife, Rachel. The remaining sons came to be through another marriage and Israel's union with two slave girls. Joseph's father had made him a beautiful coat to demonstrate his great love for his son. When the other sons of Jacob were out in all sorts of weather tending their father's sheep, Joseph was keeping an eye on them and, apparently, they weren't always doing what they were supposed to be doing. He snitched. To Dad. But his loquaciousness didn't stop there; he was sure to tell his brothers about his dreams, dreams in which they and their father would bow to Joseph. Yeah, it became a tense situation. 

On one particular day, the brothers decided to act on their anger. They seized Joseph, stripped him of his robe, and threw him in an empty cistern. Did Joseph deserve a little comeuppance? Perhaps, but his brothers fully intended to kill him! Only the self-seeking ploy of the oldest brother, Reuben, saved him from that fate (v. 21-22). But I'm not sure you could have convinced Joseph he was better off. After all, his family orchestrated, carried out, and seemingly celebrated his betrayal: as he sat stripped, alone, and wondering in a dark pit, his brothers sat down to lunch. Pretty savage.

In the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve turned their backs on God, they knew they were naked. They'd always been naked, and it had never been an issue. What changed? They'd been stripped, stripped of their identity, stripped of their protection, stripped of everything that had before kept them pure and happy and holy and free. They felt compelled to create something of their own to stand in the place where the covering of their undefiled relationship with God once stood. The sewed fig leaves. Fig leaves! Think about that. How good are fig leaves against the cold? How good are fig leaves for comfort? How good are fig leaves at wicking away sweat? How good are fig leaves for durability? Compared to cotton, fig leaves wouldn't be much, but compared to being under the shadow of the Almighty, under His wings, behind the shield of His truth...? Hah! Rubbish!

And it was in a pit that Joseph, too, sat stripped. Stripped of any illusions about his brothers' feelings or intentions. Stripped of his dignity, his hubris, the self-satisfaction that may have prompted him to share his dreams with the very family members who had "bowed before him." Stripped of the comfort and safety of his father's home --perhaps, forever. Stripped of any longings to be counted as one of the brothers, sons of Israel. Stripped of the life he knew. Stripped of a coat that blazed with the favor and honor of a sinful man. Stripped of all those things that once made him feel normal, comfortable, special, even self-righteous. But God! Genesis 50:20 records Joseph's words to his brothers years later:

You meant to do me harm, but God meant it for good — so that it would come about as it is today, with many people’s lives being saved.

I believe --in fact, I testify, the walls I built around my life to protect me from the world were insufficient. The hardness I developed, the lies I told to best a crooked system, the recompense I stole in payment for terrible things done to me, the success for which I strove that I might make those who betrayed me look ridiculous, the behaviors that brought embarrassment to those who I believed deserved to bear my shame, the things I accumulated and the reckless antics I pursued --all of these fig leaves, by God's grace, withered and died. I was stripped, left naked without them, in a dark pit with nothing but my thoughts and the God who faithfully, lovingly held out His hand to me. As He did Adam and Eve. As He did Joseph. The God who is not necessarily looking to replace things others have taken from us, but to show us how little those things matter and how great life under His protection and provision is. The God who assures us, the worst of this life can be the best of an eternal one, a life without pretense and pride, fickle fame and fleeting finances, youth with no substance and age with no wisdom. Sometimes the stripping is necessary that we might be clothed in something much more eternal, much more worthwhile. 

Working in the Garden

Perhaps I've warned you before: I have a brown thumb. My husband is the gardener, the horticulturalist. He has graciously taught me and invited me to labor with him year after year in our yard. We've planted flowers together, all sorts of vegetables. I love breathing in the delicious smell that comes bursting from bags of soil warming in the sun, and feeling the rich, damp blackness in my hands. I love the cool rain coming down my cheek to my lips as we plant (Rain is the best time to plant, he says). I love peeling off wet clothes and jumping into a warm robe, standing just inside the door and watching our little charges savor their first Spring drenching in their new home. 

Then I'm done. 

I forget to water the Gerbers. I over water the vincas. I don't prune the barberries. I can't seem to remember to treat the peppers to a tasty, salty drink day after day. I get distracted, even a bit disillusioned. I'm content to adore the blooms and eat the benefits.

Did you know, God invites us to labor with Him in His garden of humanity? In John 4, Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob. He is exhausted. His disciples have gone into town to get something to eat. He asks the woman for a drink, and the conversation begins. We're not told if He gets His drink or not. Was she drawing as they talked? We don't know. Shortly after His disciples return with lunch, the woman leaves, and the disciples then urge their Master, Rabbi, eat. Jesus responds by telling them, I have food to eat of which you do not know, and explains His food is obedience. The Pulpit Commentary puts it this way:

The men of the spirit are consumed with desires which dwarf the desires of the flesh, and they forget to eat their bread.

Mercy! May that be true of us all. And that's exactly what Jesus continues to explain to His friends. He lives to do the will of His Father. That is His sustenance, His life. And what is God's will? To fill the Kingdom of Heaven for His glory! Jesus came that the Kingdom of Heaven might be full! He equates it with the harvest. The fields are ready to be reaped! God has sown His seeds in the minds and hearts of us all. Romans 1:20 says His creation so clearly proclaims His character, humanity is without excuse. No one can say they were unaware of the existence of God. The Father draws His elect to Himself and He Himself teaches us (John 6:44,45). But we have been invited to labor with Him and reap what He has sown. 

Going back to our little Garden of Eden at our home, Scott has taught me, but we work together. He stays close (he knows just how much damage I can do if left unsupervised) and he talks to me, teaching me as we go along. We decide together how we're splitting up our resources, which plants will go where. As long as I continue to stick right there with him, I stay on task. If I decide to "take a breather" or pop into the kitchen to check on something, that's when I get distracted. Sure, I was having fun; I was enjoying the work we were doing together, but over here, right here on the counter is this big piece of chocolate cake, and, well...It'll only be a couple nibbles, won't take long and I'll head back outside.

The men of the spirit are consumed with desires which dwarf the desires of the flesh, and they forget to eat their bread.

In what has God called you to labor with Him? Are there friends or neighbors who are hurting? Do your children or grandchildren know the love of Jesus? Is your church begging for volunteers --even to clean the church or shovel the sidewalks? Is there an extra room in your home that would fit someone perfectly? Do you pass the shelter day after day feeling as though Someone might be calling you to serve there? Are there cashiers, crossing guards, or councilmen with whom you speak regularly but have never shared the Gospel? 

Let us not be consumed by the desires of this life, the desires for physical needs and wants, but let us be men and women of the spirit, answering the call to labor with Jesus, tending and watering and reaping with Him, working diligently under His direction, forgetting even to eat our bread.

Review: The Breathe Life Bible: Faith in Action

I have been granted an opportunity through Thomas Nelson Publishing's Bible Blogger Program to review The Breathe Life Bible: Faith in Action. My complimentary copy is the black leather-soft edition with thumb index in the New King James Version. It is packaged in a sturdy box which is beautifully printed, comes with two satin ribbon markers, and has a lifetime guarantee. The book has all of the "usuals": presentation page, Table of Contents, explanation of abbreviations, comments from the editors and a preface to the NKJV itself, full-color maps, a table of weights and measures, a list of Jesus' parables, and a concordance. So, what makes this Bible different? The articles.

Within the first several pages is a short essay, The Way Jesus Saves. The first paragraph explains that without salvation in Jesus Christ, "what is presented on the following pages will be like sitting in the driver's seat of a big, powerful automobile without a key to start the engine." Seems like an odd statement for the front matter of a Bible. Isn't God's word the place we get our information about God, our need for a Savior, Jesus' incarnation and work at the cross, etc.? If opening the pages of the Bible will leave you not quite equipped, what are we doing here? Perhaps, the editors were only referring to their commentaries and articles included in the book, the "Faith in Action" supplement. If that's the case, the article, The Way Jesus Saves seems to be a great place to start. However, as helpful as the article is with regard to what Jesus did, it's weak on why we needed Him to do it. It talks about sin but doesn't define it. It uses the word "condemnation" and says Jesus "died in your place;" but there is no mention of Hell, and there is no urgency in the language that stresses need for a Savior --a better option, perhaps, a good thing, but nothing that tells the entire truth: What happens if I take a pass? 

Throughout the book are "seven features with answers and insights designed to help you apply the truth of God's Word to the realities of your life": The Sky, which dives more deeply into the idea of faith in action that is this edition's subtitle; The Air, introductions to each book of the Bible, including insight as to how the book is relevant to the hearts of people of color; We Speak, forty-nine mini bios of people from the Bible; Life Support focuses on ten passages of Scripture and leads the reader to put their faith into action; Inhale-Exhale, #Oxygen, and Release are three groups of articles which "focus on seven tenets derived from the acronym BREATHE: Believe, Reconcile, Exalt, Act, Trust, Hope, Elevate." Inhale-Exhale features forty-nine question and answers addressing everyday challenges. #Oxygen "contains ninety-eight snippets of wisdom drawn straight from the Word of God." Release is a series of forty-nine devotions from pastors and teachers. There is a lot going on here. In addition to all of these themes and sub-themes, at the back of the book there is a list of Prayers of the Bible and a helpful index to the articles.

So, what do I think? Well, I was concerned. I'd read an interview in which the Bible's co-editor, Michele Clark Jenkins referred to the assassination of George Floyd as the impetus for her wanting to "do this project, to talk about how we as faithful people are supposed to respond, no matter what’s thrown at us." My objection lies with her choice of the word "assassinated," a word which implies intent as well as a murder committed for political reasons. The language reeks of conspiracy theory and victim veneration. (For the record and by human standards, Floyd did deserve to live, he did deserve justice, his family deserves our utmost compassion, but he in no way deserves to be hallowed.) When I saw that as her "jumping off point," I was disappointed. Additionally, co-editor Stephanie Perry Moore, in her acknowledgements at the beginning of The Breathe Life Bible, cites Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as her "hero." While I admire King's work for civil rights and some of his teachings on humanity, he was a philanderer with Marxist beliefs who did not believe in the divinity of Christ. Hero? That makes me nervous. All of that being said, I find the modern social justice message these editors appear to embrace does not resonate throughout this edition of the Bible. And that, I believe, is a good thing. The articles which accompany the Scriptures do not advocate teaching or action contrary to Scripture itself. There are messages of forgiveness, of trust in Jesus regardless of earthly circumstances, of loving others, and reconciling wrongs with that which is right. In fact, my biggest objection to The Breathe Life Bible: Faith in Action is the glut of themes, acronyms, and kitschy subtitles. In my opinion, this edition of the Bible is thorough, illuminating, and helpful without all of the overdone, difficult to navigate groupings. I hope you will enjoy your copy.

You're Not There Yet

What are you looking for? 

I was reading Genesis 37 the other day. Verses 5-11 tell of the dreams Joseph had, dreams of his entire family bowing down to him. Joseph, possibly too young to understand the value of discretion and humility, tells his brothers about the dreams. His brothers, already fed up with their father's indiscreet favor toward Joseph, burn with jealousy. When the brothers are out tending their father's flocks, Jacob sends Joseph out to see what their up to; Bring back word to me, he says (v. 12-14). Joseph travels more than eighty miles to find his brothers, but when he does, is repaid by his brothers selling him into slavery (v. 23-28). It's the in-between that stuck with me as I read the other day.

So he sent him away from the Hevron Valley, and he went to Sh’khem, where a man found him wandering around in the countryside. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?” (v. 14b-15)

Joseph answers with --not a what, but --a who: he's looking for his brothers. But it sort of stuck in my craw: here is this young man, wandering about in the wilderness, a man appears and asks him what he is looking for. Joseph responds with a who. Nevertheless, the man informs him, You're not there yet. Joseph's brothers are another fifteen+ miles away in Dotan; so, he heads out to find what --I mean who he is looking for. And though the what-who thing may be important to the point or purpose of Genesis, I began to think about this seventeen-year-old, clearly favored by his father, envied --hated more precisely --by his brothers, sent a prophetic message through dreams, and given the gift of interpreting them. What was he seeking? Did he simply want to find out what his brothers and get back home to Dad? Did he want his brothers to understand he hadn't chosen this calling? Did he want to be like the others, be included in his brothers' shop talk or their inside jokes? Did he want his father to understand what favoritism was costing him and to just treat him normally? Did he seek the fulfillment of his dreams, those dreams that caused so much contention? You're not there yet.

If we read on in the book of Genesis, we find Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers, unjustly imprisoned, forgotten, summoned to help Pharaoh, and given authority and position second only to Egypt's king. He is stripped of his Jewish heritage, given an Egyptian wife, and raises his family in "the land of (his) misfortune." When a famine grips the area, Joseph's brothers come to Egypt begging for food. They unknowingly bow before Joseph --so desperate are they to eat, so powerful and unrecognizable is he --fulfilling those long-ago dreams. After testing their hearts, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and demands they bring his father to him. The family is reunited in Egypt and the nation of Israel is preserved. 

The young man who, simply by answering the question of a stranger, found himself betrayed and far from home, eventually finds truth and purpose. In Genesis 50:20, he declares to his brothers, You meant to do me harm, but God meant it for good — so that it would come about as it is today, with many people’s lives being saved. Had he answered the stranger with a what, rather than a who, would it have remotely resembled what came to be? Would he have ever imagined the path he followed would lead him to the victory he experienced? 

Often in our lives, the what we are seeking comes about in ways we would never imagine, ways we would never choose. Many times, I have not been prepared to receive the what it is I have been seeking: God has had to work in me, change me first. From time to time, as I've prayed --even as I've eagerly assured God I'm ready to do that which I know He has called me to do --He has whispered You're not there yet. But when we submit, when we're willing to make the trip regardless of the outcome, He is faithful to prepare us and lead us in all He has for us to do. We may not be there today, but rest assured, we one day will be.