23 You said to your servants, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ 24 We went up to your servant my father and told him what my lord had said; 25 but when our father said, ‘Go again, and buy us some food,’ 26 we answered, ‘We can’t go down. Only if our youngest brother is with us will we go down, because we can’t see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27 Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons: 28 the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he has been torn to pieces,” and I haven’t seen him since. 29 Now if you take this one away from me too, and something happens to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sh’ol with grief.’
45:1 At last Yosef could no longer control his feelings in front of his attendants and cried, “Get everybody away from me!” So no one else was with him when Yosef revealed to his brothers who he was. 2 He wept aloud, and the Egyptians heard, and Pharaoh’s household heard. 3 Yosef said to his brothers, “I am Yosef! Is it true that my father is still alive?” His brothers couldn’t answer him, they were so dumbfounded at seeing him. 4 Yosef said to his brothers, “Please! Come closer.” And they came closer. He said, “I am Yosef, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But don’t be sad that you sold me into slavery here or angry at yourselves, because it was God who sent me ahead of you to preserve life.
Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs (Optional Memorial)It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you. (Genesis 45:5)
Have you ever heard of a Fresnel lens? It’s a very thin, powerful lens system that can project the light from a single bulb as far as twenty miles away. Pioneered in 1823, it is still in use today in many lighthouses around the world.
Although the Fresnel lens was an important advancement, the actual placement of the lighthouse itself was just as important. If it was built on ground that was too low or too high, for example, it could be obscured by obstacles or by the clouds. Sometimes, a lighthouse had to be placed on a cliff overlooking the sea or on outcropping rocks, making for both a treacherous construction project and an inhospitable place to work.
Near the end of his story, Joseph realizes that his job is to be a kind of Fresnel lens. He sees that the different situations he has found himself in—prisoner, servant, prophet, and steward—have all been opportunities for him to shine God’s light into the lives of the people of Egypt. He also realizes that God has been using him to save his people, the Israelites, from famine. This is probably the hardest of all his situations, however, because it means that Joseph has to step out of his official, lordly role and forgive his brothers for all the harm they have caused him.
As he did with Joseph, God has placed you where you are so that you can shine his light. It may be hard to believe at times, but it’s true—you have the potential to help people find their way in this world and even more important, to find their way to the Lord. As it was with Joseph, there are times when it’s not all that easy to shine your light, times when you have to forgive or go out of your way or be extra generous.
Don’t let this frighten you. Remember, it’s his light shining in you, so it doesn’t all depend on you. Just imitate Joseph, and take it one step at a time. You’ll find Jesus giving you the grace you need as you lean on him.
“Lord, help me to shine your light wherever I am.” Amen!Psalms 105:16 He called down famine on the land,
broke off all their food supply,
17 but sent a man ahead of them —
Yosef, who was sold as a slave.
18 They shackled his feet with chains,
and they bound him in irons;
19 until the time when his word proved true,
God’s utterance kept testing him.
20 The king sent and had him released,
the ruler of peoples set him free;
21 he made him lord of his household,
in charge of all he owned,
Matthew 10:7 As you go, proclaim, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is near,’ 8 heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those afflicted with tzara’at, expel demons. You have received without paying, so give without asking payment. 9 Don’t take money in your belts, no gold, no silver, no copper; 10 and for the trip don’t take a pack, an extra shirt, shoes or a walking stick — a worker should be given what he needs.
11 “When you come to a town or village, look for someone trustworthy and stay with him until you leave. 12 When you enter someone’s household, say, ‘Shalom aleikhem!’ 13 If the home deserves it, let your shalom rest on it; if not, let your shalom return to you. 14 But if the people of a house or town will not welcome you or listen to you, leave it and shake its dust from your feet! 15 Yes, I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for the people of S’dom and ‘Amora than for that town!
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