Life is about individuals and the relationships in their lives. In other words, it’s all about connections. Sometimes the connections produce a favorable outcome; sometimes they don’t. These connections play out in the relationships in the lives of individuals. What determines the actions of those connected to you? It’s the condition of their hearts.
In Genesis we read about a young man and his connections. He came from a large complicated, family. His father had twelve sons with four different mothers; that alone is a recipe for disaster. Most men have difficulty managing children with one wife, I can only imagine the drama with four different mothers. If that were the only problem, life would be difficult. Things were more complicated because he had a favorite wife who he loved more than any other. When she died, he transferred that love to her children. Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So, one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe. (Genesis 37:3 NLT) As a result, his brothers hated him.
Then Joseph had dreams and shared them with his family. One day, while Joseph was running an errand for his father, the hatred spilled over, and they decided to kill him. What could cause such rage in the hearts of brothers against another? Hearts full of hatred and jealousy. One brother interceded and his life was spared but he was sold into slavery. Jesus said that what comes out of the heart defiles a man. (Mark 7:20-21) If you want to know what is in the heart of an individual, look at their actions. These brothers’ hearts were evil; they sold their brother into slavery then told their father that he was dead. They were so blinded by hatred, they never stopped to consider how the death of their brother would affect their father. I pray that our actions would reveal a heart that has been renewed by Jesus Christ.
Thought for Today: Friend, examine your heart.
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