Reactions

Gen. 37:2-4~ "These are the records of the generations of Jacob.
                           Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to his father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. 4 And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms."
     Joseph had done nothing to receive this treatment by his brothers- except be loved by his father. This was not Joseph's fault. When  I do things for others and they backfire, or are misunderstood, what is my reaction?
  The mark or test of a follower of Jesus is not how one acts, but how one reacts to a challenge. Joseph remained honest, yet he felt their hatred. When I am hated do I respond with kindness and thoughtfulness to those who hate me? Do I look at how God views them, or am I too busy nursing my own wounds? Do I follow Jesus words to love my enemies, or do I react out of the flesh and lash out. Wounding another because I am momentarily hurt.  Whether it is from an unexpected harsh word, slander, or someone cutting me off in traffic, my reaction shows how much of Jesus or how much of the flesh is in me. What is my response to others who are favored? Do I malign them? Do I react as these brothers of Joseph? With hatred or jealousy?
    Lord, I struggle with this! I want to do Your will and obey You- I also really don't like being treated unfairly; my flesh rears up faster than I can stop it. May I see this, my flesh rising up, through Your eyes- as sin, not just excuse it as a reaction to another's sin. Teach me again how to be a vessel for Your glory, filled with love, yielding to You in the little aggravations, so I can yield in the big ones when they come. Create in me a clean heart O Lord, and renew a right spirit in me that the old nature would not have even a small amount of victory. Teach me Your ways, that I would respond as Your servant. May I not pay back evil for evil, but by Your power, respond with Your love.