After Jacob died, Joseph obeyed his father’s request. He asked Pharaoh for permission to take his father back to Canaan and bury him in the cave of Machpelah. After they returned to Egypt, Joseph’s brothers feared he would take revenge, but Joseph wept and comforted them: “Am I in the place of God? You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” He promised to care for them and their children. Later Joseph lived to 110, and near death he still trusted God’s promise, asking his family to carry his bones to the promised land one day.
Joseph did not place himself in God’s position to take revenge. He named the wrong his brothers had done, yet trusted that God could work for good and save many lives. Forgiveness does not mean pretending hurt did not happen, and it does not mean a child should return alone to an unsafe person. We can tell God and trusted adults about our pain, choose not to take revenge, and leave judgment in God’s hands. Joseph also trusted God’s promise to the end, believing God would bring his people back to the promised land.
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