We're going to study a few verses from Genesis chapter 37 and learn useful lessons that "spring" from between the lines of Scriptures. Jacob lived in Canaan, the land of his father's pilgrimage. Abraham had also wandered there and knew that the region would one day belong to his seed. This promise would be fulfilled later, after his descendants went to Egypt and became slaves there.

Jacob loved his son Joseph in a special way, so he sent him with his half-brothers to look after the sheep. At the time, there were only his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's concubines. According to the verse in question, Joseph told his father about their bad reputation. What is the relevance of God showing this? To prove that Joseph was different from the others. This characteristic should exist in anyone who looks after the family name; that way, Satan won't find an open door.

It's also worth remembering the gap left by Achan so that his brothers were defeated in the battle to take over the city of Ai. This led Joshua to despair when he rushed to put the blame on the Lord: And Joshua said, Alas, Lord God, why have You brought these people over to Jordan at all – to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!  (Joshua 7:7).

The Most High was not offended by this prayer in which the commander of Israel accused him of mismanagement, but answered, Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived, and they have also put it among their own stuff (Joshua 7:10,11). They soon found the one responsible for the mistake!

Just as they found the author of the transgression that led the enemy to shame them, we must go to God with the intention of finding the weak part in our being, which will be like a loophole used by the devil to hurt us, dishonoring our faith. After finding the "Achan" in us, we must ask for it to be destroyed. Then we need to confess the error. This way, we will live as an upright and perfect individual before the Lord. Each of us is like the entire congregation of Israel!

Joseph informed his father of his brothers' bad reputation. This shows that we must bring any deviation from the other brothers to the Father in prayer. As children of the Most High, the God of holiness, there can be no scandal in us. Jesus admonished:  If your right eye causes you to ^[j]sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell (Matthew 5.29). Pray!

In the New Covenant, according to this passage in Matthew 5, we don't have to mutilate ourselves physically, but rather, in prayer, present our weakness and ask God to take it away from us. Our wrong attitudes must be torn out of us; in this way, we will serve our heavenly Father with integrity of heart and soul. Pray, and God will answer you!

In Christ with love,

R. R. Soares