Gen 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

Gen 45:5  Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. Genesis 45 is about Joseph revealing his identity to his brethren. After Judah made a touching appeal for his brother Benjamin, Joseph could not control his emotion any longer. He summoned all his servants out of the room while he revealed himself to his brethren. It was difficult to forgive and love his brethren after all they had done to him. But Joseph was no ordinary man; he was a man of God. He put his brothers to a test. He was pleased with the results. First, his brothers were brought to a bitter sense of their sin (Genesis 42:21, 22). Then, they demonstrated brotherly love for Benjamin (Genesis 44). We know more about Joseph through this event. 1. He was WISE. A fool would immediately put his brothers in prison the moment he sees them. A fool would mock at them when they appeared before him and bowed down to him. But Joseph hid his identity and treated them with dignity. He devised a plan to test their character and love for Benjamin. “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health” (Proverbs 12:18). 2. He was Meek. Joseph cried after he heard the words of Judah. He had a soft heart. He is not one whose heart cannot be touched. The way I understand meekness and gentleness is that gentleness is how we treat others while meekness is how we react when we are mistreated by others. An example is Moses. The Holy Spirit says that “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). The Holy Spirit says it when referring to Moses’ reaction on the malicious words of his brother and sister against him. Moses did not get into a quarrel or fight with them. He said nothing! The Holy Spirit calls it meekness. Joseph’s brothers did evil against him. Joseph did not retaliate. He remained quiet. He was touched by the words of Judah and he wept. All this time when he had the power to take revenge, he did not but submit himself to God. He said it was God’s providence: “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life” (v.5). 3. He was Forgiving. It was hard to forgive what his brothers had done to him but Joseph forgave them all. I have known people, even Christians, who are very unforgiving. They never forget a hurtful word or action. They are selfish, arrogant, ungrateful, and unloving. If Joseph could forgive his brothers who betrayed him and if Christ could forgive those who put Him to death, there is nothing left in this world that cannot be forgiven. The only reason that we cannot forgive someone is because we are unforgiving. Is this what a Christian should be - unforgiving? Every Christian should memorise Ephesians 4:31, 32: “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” A true man of God is one who can forgive, is meek and is wise in his actions and with his words. May we forgive like Joseph, meek when we are mistreated, and wise in dealing with our enemies.