Every decision, Every Day is part of how you are writing your life story. These decisions do not just affect your story, they also affect the lives of those around you. Andy Stanley made a statement, “A private decision has Public ramifications.” Think about that for a while and then recall the decisions you have made in your life to date. How many of those decisions have affected your story that you just honestly would NOT want to tell? You know! Those decision you regret and would rather leave them in your past! But then look at your story and see how God was faithful and merciful still in directing your story to shine for Him.
Several years ago, I made a decision that I thought was best, then last year, I had to make another decision that fell in the same lines. Each of these decisions though they were private decisions, they did have public ramifications. Not just for me, but also for those around me. They shaped and wrote the story for another. Though these ramifications were not bad ramifications. They were still ramifications! Let’s take a look at the life story of Joseph.
Here in Genesis 37: 12-36, we see how Joseph’s brothers made a decision to rid themselves of their brother. Their decision obviously affected Joseph’s life story. Could you imagine being his brothers and all those years later knowing that your decision was not one you wanted in your story? I can imagine they did not walk around saying, “Yup, I was so jealous of my younger brother. I sold him to a slave trader and then let my dad believe that he was dead.” No, instead I believe they regretted that decision when years later and the famine drove them to the feet of Joseph and his requirements. As you can read in the scriptures of Genesis 42-44 about these events.
After we watch all the events play out. We see that Joseph eventually reveals himself to his brothers.
“And Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Please come near to me.’ So they came near. Then he said: ‘I am Joseph your brethren, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. Genesis 45: 4-5 NKJV”