"And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them"
It's Wednesday, so I'm thinking about loving my enemies.
On Wednesdays, I workshop the sermon.
Readings:
Genesis 45: 3-11, 15
Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come closer to me." And they came closer. He said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there--since there are five more years of famine to come--so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.'"
And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.
Also, Luke 6:27-38
Jesus said, "I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."
Scripture:
Genesis: God’s chosen family: Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah and Rachel. Along with their children, they are also the original dysfunctional family.
In today’s passage, Joseph confronts his brothers (all the sons of Jacob/Israel) who thought he was dead. Because they left him for dead out of their jealousy of him. Now he is the instrument of their salvation through food stored in Egypt (because of a dream Joseph had) during a famine.
It’s an extremely emotional moment. In the lines just before this passage begins (vs. 1-2), Joseph makes everyone leave the room so he can sob with relief and joy at seeing his brothers alive.
At the end of the passage, they’re all crying.
Joseph could have taken revenge on his brothers at this moment. He could have kept himself hidden, and sent them away to starve with their families. But his love for them overcomes the injury they inflicted on him.
Luke: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”
It’s the most counter-cultural thing we’re called to as Christians. It’s what makes us fools for Christ. It’s the opposite of what it feels like we should do.
It’s not nuanced - we can’t suggest that someone has been so bad, caused so much suffering that we’re immune from loving them. No - these are the very people we’re called to love.
Situation: Sometimes it feels like the culture we live in is nothing but righteous indignation. So many of us are so angry - at our families, our neighbors, our political rivals. At the media, the corporations, the people who mean us harm, the ones who hurt us, the ones who don’t care about us.
It’s true - we have been hurt. We are suffering. We’re stressed and we’re scared and we’re mad.
And we follow a Lord who has an antidote for our situation: LOVE.
Yes, it’s shocking. Yes, it’s unfair. No, they don’t deserve it (does anyone ever deserve love? Isn’t it always a precious gift?).
Yet it is the most powerful act there is. Nothing is stronger - not even death. And it changes our lives. And the world.