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“Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said ‘Lie with me.’” Genesis 39:6b-7

Advertisements beckon to us all the time about how to be more beautiful, more attractive, more appealing in a romantic way. But that kind of allure can also cause problems. Apparently, Joseph is good looking. That’s on top of being competent and trustworthy and hard working. So, he has a lot going for him. But unfortunately, Joseph’s appeal is not lost on his owner’s wife.

Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph. Talk about a compromising situation. Potiphar is so pleased with Joseph and has given him much authority and responsibility in the household. Now Potiphar’s wife wants “work” from Joseph. This is a tough situation for Joseph. If he refuses the come-ons from Potiphar’s wife, she may become angry. She may influence her husband against Joseph. She could get him in trouble (which she later does). You don’t want to be on the wrong side of the boss’ spouse in any situation.

But Joseph does not want to betray his owner, his master, the one who has entrusted so much to him, namely, Potiphar. How could Joseph possibly do this? He sees it as a sin not only against Potiphar but also against God. What is he to do?

We, too, can find ourselves in these kinds of dilemmas. We are asked to do something dishonest at work. We know it is wrong, but if we don’t cooperate, we may be fired. If we are fired, where will the money come from for the mortgage, food, and healthcare? So what is worse – to do something dishonest at work or drag the family into poverty?

Maybe we are accused of doing something that we did not do. But to get out of it, we would have to divulge who did do it. This person may be a friend of ours. Then we are getting our friend in trouble. We don’t want to do that, either. What is the best option?

Jesus faced a similar dilemma in the story of his temptation in the wilderness. The devil offers him complete power over the realm. Think of the good Jesus could do with that power. All the people that could be helped. That kind of power would enable Jesus to do a lot of good and for many people. But to gain that power, Jesus must bow down and worship the Devil. Jesus will not do this. So he gives up the power that the devil is offering, that he could use for good.

If we have money, then we have to think about making it and spending it ethically. If we don’t have money, we have to think about how to provide for ourselves in ways that are legitimate and honest. Each situation presents its problems.

It is not always easy to sort out the best way to approach such dilemmas. Lent is a time for us to think about what kinds of compromises we are making. It is a time to reflect on our choices. It is a time to examine the consequences of our options. It is a time to sort out what is truly right even if it is not easy and leads to further complications.

Prayer

We want to do what it good and right and true. But is is not always easy. Doing the right thing can often cause problems just like doing the wrong thing. May we have the courage to face our choices with honesty and clarity. May we not just take the easy way out. Amen.

“His master saw that the Lord was the him. . .” Genesis 39:3 NRSV

In the story of Joseph, we are told that Joseph is sold into slavery and is bought by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. Joseph is serving in Potiphar’s household. He must do whatever he is instructed to do. He has gone from being a favored son in a prosperous family to being a slave for someone of authority and means. And this all happens in a context that is foreign to Joseph.

The cosmology and religious practices of the Egyptians were far different from the Hebrews. Joseph was part of the first expression of monotheism. The Hebrews were to be committed to justice and mercy for those in need. So Potiphar and his household did not worship the God of the Hebrews. They did not practice the religion that Joseph did. They worshipped many gods. And there were rites and sacrifices that went with their religious practice.

Here comes Joseph who knows none of this. And yet Potiphar and his household see that God is with Joseph. Joseph is of a completely different religion, and yet the Egyptians see God in him. Without knowing about Joseph’s god, without knowing of Joseph’s religion, they see God in him.

This cross cultural communication is very interesting. This translation of what is of God from culture to culture is remarkable. How can you see something you don’t know about? But the Egyptian family of Potiphar sees something in Joseph, something they name as God.

Maybe they see that Joseph’s hard work. Maybe they see his cooperative attitude. Maybe they see that he is honest. Maybe they see that he is trustworthy. Somehow, the Egyptians see God’s presence in Joseph.

This aspect of the story has a word for us about showing and sharing our faith. Maybe we can do this without even mentioning God or church or Jesus or the Bible. Maybe by treating others as Jesus did, acting with concern and compassion, being honest and diligent, people will see God in us. Really, like Joseph, we shouldn’t have to tell people that we are Christians, they should just see it in our behavior. And we can demonstrate our faith, as Joseph did, without berating or questioning the faith of others. Joseph is a foreigner in a strange land, and yet the people see God in him. And he is respected for it. There’s a lesson for us here. May everyone see God in us, regardless of who they are or their religious background or lack thereof.

The other side of this is what we see. This story encourages us to see God in others. And maybe those others are of a different religion or culture. Maybe they are foreigners. Maybe they are immigrants. Can we see God in them as Potiphar and his household saw God in Joseph?

Prayer
Our tradition affirms that God is in each and every person; that being human means being created with divinity within. May we look for God in ourselves and in others. May we live so that others, whoever they may be, see God in us. Amen.

“Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.” Genesis 39:1, NRSV

In the story of Joesph, we are told that Joseph began as part of a large, prosperous family. And we are told that “Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children. . .” Joseph was his father’s favorite. He was clearly spoiled and doted upon. He had a charmed life.

From this cozy, familial life, Joseph was thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and ended up as a servant in the household of an Egyptian security guard. Basically, he wakes up in a new land, with unfamiliar food, clothing, culture, religion, customs, and language. And he is no longer spoiled and catered to. Instead of being served, he must serve.

Joseph’s life was turned upside down. He woke up a stranger in a strange land. He experienced complete dislocation. It’s hard to imagine the magnitude of Joseph’s disorientation.

While we might not be dropped into an unfamiliar culture and feel lost, there are times when our lives are rocked. Think about being told that your son has just been killed in a car accident. What about finding out that your wife has had an affair. Can you imagine coming home from a concert or a play only to find that your house has burned to the ground? Or going to the doctor and finding out that there is an aggressive cancer, it cannot be treated, you may have a couple of months to live.

Disorientation and dislocation are not only geographical and cultural. It can happen right in the midst of our very every day lives. Have you had an experience that threw you for a loop? Knocked you flat? Think about how you were able to find your balance again. Restore your center. Regain your ability to function.

We may not like change even when it is positive. We surely don’t like change when it is forced on us and it involves loss and suffering. But humans are amazingly adaptive. We have an incredible capacity to reorient and to heal.

In this season of Lent as we seek to become re-centered and grounded in our spiritual lives, we may consider ways that we need to adjust and adapt to new circumstances and situations. We may not like it but reorientation may be necessary. Sometimes we simply must learn to accept new conditions. Thankfully, we have been created with a huge capacity for adjusting, coming to a new normal, healing and becoming whole again after drastic disruption.

Prayer
Whatever life may bring, we can trust our sacred center to hold us true. We are endowed with an immense capacity for growth, healing, and transformation. While we may not like change, while tragedy may rock our world, Love will see us through. The story of Joseph and the story of Jesus inspire our trust. Amen.

Ash Wednesday

Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.

A needed reminder of our mortality. Of the fleetingness of this life.

So fragile. So short. So precious.

To be cherished. Savored. Appreciated.

Lent is a time to recalibrate our perspective. It is a time to zoom in on that which is of God. It is a time to zoom out and see the big picture.

And it is a time to chip away at the obstacles, the busy-ness, the anxiety, and the fear that prevent us from seeing the beauty of our lives, of God and of Creation.

Lent. We are lent these 40 days each year. Holy days as all days are holy. To look more deeply and see.

Will you give something up? Will that remind you of all you still have? Will it make you more conscious of your spiritual journey? Will you take something on? Something that will bring you closer to God? Something that will bring you closer to the way of Jesus? Will you observe a special spiritual practice for Lent? Read a Psalm a day and look for the word that is being spoken to you from those ancient words? Will you read the daily devotions at the church website? Will you observe a time of silence each day and see what happens?

Choose carefully for your Lenten discipline will change your life!

In surprising ways.

“Then Jacob tore his garments, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and all his daughters sought to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and said, ‘No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.’” Genesis 37:34-35, NRSV

Have you ever been green? Not with seasickness but with jealousy or envy? Maybe it was over a boyfriend or girlfriend. Maybe it was sibling rivalry. “Mom loves you more.” “No, she does not. She’s always favoring you, and it’s just not fair.” Maybe you are jealous of a classmate who is the teacher’s pet. Your work is better, but s/he gets better grades. What to do about jealousy?

The saga of Joseph includes a story of jealousy par excellence! Joseph is one of 12 male children in the family which includes several wives and one father, Jacob (aka Israel). The brothers are jealous of Joseph. He is the father’s favorite; that he is the apple of Jacob’s eye. Jacob even gives Joseph a special robe which has become known as the “coat of many colors.” We can well imagine how years of this favored treatment made the brothers hot with jealousy. We’re told, “they hated him.” (Gen. 37:4)

Then there were the dreams. The brothers bowing down to Joseph. The parents bowing down to Joseph. In a cultural that placed a very high value on respect for elders and filial piety, this was blatant insubordination. That was the last straw. The one that broke the camel’s back. Now, we are told, “they hated him even more.” (Gen.. 37:5) The brothers are just waiting for the right moment to take their revenge.

What about Joseph? Was he lording it over his brothers? Showing off his coat? Milking Jacob’s good will to get his way? Using his father’s favor against his brothers? Or was he oblivious to his father’s preference? Was he naive and innocent? We don’t know.

We are told, however, that the brothers take action. They are in an outlying area tending the sheep. Jacob sends Joseph to check on them. Off he goes. They have him alone, away from home. The perfect opportunity. Plan A is to kill him, throw him in a pit, and take back the precious cloak covered with blood and tell the father that he was killed by a wild animal. One brother, Reuben, puts the breaks on killing Joseph, hoping to find a way to rescue him from the pit. So Joseph is cast into the pit. That would probably lead to his death but not directly at their hands. An easier out? Softer on the conscience? Over lunch, they are still discussing killing Joseph when they see a caravan coming. Why not sell Joseph into slavery? They won’t be responsible for his death, but they’ll be rid of him and get paid for it to boot. They’ll still use the coat soaked in blood and the wild animal story with the father. The perfect solution! They are rid of the pest.

This whole terrible tale and the sorrow it spawns is the result of jealousy. Jealousy can bring out our worst. It can lead us to do things which are entirely against our truest values and moral code. Jealousy can make us ugly.

Lent is a time to examine our lives and consider the condition of our souls. It’s an appropriate time to consider jealousy. Is there anyone you are jealous of? Are you harboring unresolved jealousy? Do you sense embryonic jealousy in your spirit? This is something to give up, to release, to relinquish. This will lighten your spirit and unburden you. Don’t let jealousy lead you to betray yourself through hurtful actions.

Prayer
There is plenty of pain and suffering in this life. There are accidents and illness and natural disasters. Let us not add to the grief of the world by lashing out in jealousy and creating more sorrow for ourselves and others. Amen.