Today’s Devotion
Topic: Family Issues
(Self Assessment 114)
Background: It is true that every family has their own issues to deal with. But a critical look within often reveals how each member of the family, in one way or the other, contributes to the creation of the problem that confronts the family. Jacob, the patriarch of our faith, had such issues to deal with on his compound too; especially after the birth of his last but one son, Joseph.
Let us zoom straight into our weekly Bible study and discover for ourselves how some of our actions and inactions greatly contribute to the constant feuds in the family and how we can all stick together to prevent the pettiness that destroys the fabrics of our homes.
Text: Genesis 37: 2-11
2 This is the account of Jacob’s family line. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”
8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Amen
Questions:
i. According to vrs 2, Joseph was seventeen and had to tend the flocks with his older half-brothers, but he brought their father bad report about them. The Bible does not say whether the report against his brothers were true or false, but the questions are:
a) In what ways could Joseph’s report of His brothers be of benefit to the family?
b) In what ways could his reports also be injurious to the family? Especially since those brothers were sons of the maid servants of Jacob’s original wives, Leah and Rachael?
ii. Read vrs 3- 4 again.
a) Why did Jacob love Joseph more than any of his other sons?
b) In what ways did he demonstrate this love; a ponder in his heart or an outward display to the disapproval of his other sons?
c) What are some of the troubles that acts like this can cause in the family (ie when parents openly display their love for some of their children over the others)?
iii. Kindly read vrs 5- 8 again and attempt the following:
a) What went wrong; that Joseph had a dream in the first place, or what he dreamt about or how he shared it?
b) From the outright interpretation his brothers gave, it is apparent they clearly understood it. Do you think Joseph understood the dream too?
c) Do you think Joseph shared his dream with a spiteful motive or that he was ignorant of the troubles that could come with sharing such a dream?
iv. When, according to vrs 9- 10, Joseph shared another dream that was similar, even his beloved father rebuked him saying, “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow TO THE GROUND BEFORE YOU?”
a) Could his repeated defiance to how his dreams may affect the emotions of his immediate family be as a result of pride? Especially when all he share the dream with appeared to be his subjects in those dreams?
b) Is there a wisdom we can from this? Especially when we will be sharing dreams, prophecies and revelation? HOW SENSITIVE OUGHT WE BE?
v. According to vrs 11, Jacob did not dismiss the possibility of Joseph’s dream coming to pass. He kept the matter in His heart. Why do you think even after rebuking his beloved son, he still didn’t dismiss the dream from his heart?
vi. What have you learnt in today’s study; especially in relation with how we contribute to the issues that threaten the peace of our households every day?
Kindly reply us on this same social media platform (WhatsApp/ Facebook). We learn a great deal from the answers you share with us.
