Genesis 38-41
When People Disappoint Us

Joseph life had gone from great, to bad and now to worse. He was raised the favored son of the patriarch Jacob. Such a status had brought the animosity of his brothers on him. As Genesis 37 tells us, they caught him and cast him into a pit, eventually selling him into bondage. He soon found himself in the land of Egypt, the center of the known world at that time, and was bought by an Egyptian official. He prospered well for a while, only to be falsely accused by the official's wife and cast into prison. While in prison, the Lord blessed him with a position of trust and privilege. But, he was still prison.

A glimmer of hope arose one day when two men who used to work for the Pharaoh, but were then in prison along with Joseph, had dreams. Joseph interpreted the dreams for the men. One man would die, he told them, while the other, the butler, would be restored to Pharaoh's service.

Seizing the opportunity before him, Joseph made one request. "But, remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house," Genesis 40:14. How excited Joseph must have been at the prospect of getting out of prison. Day after day, when the door would be unlocked, Joseph must have thought, "This is it. I have been remembered. Today I leave." Yet Genesis 40:23 tells us, "Yet the butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him."

Two years passed before Joseph was remembered by the butler. The Pharaoh himself had a dream, and the butler exclaimed, "I remember my faults this day," Genesis 41:9. Joseph was brought in... and the rest is history.

Do people ever disappoint you? Say they will do something and then not follow through? This story illustrates one of the facts of life: people aren't perfect. Sometimes people hurt us, wrong us, or fail to honor their word. Likely the butler didn't do this intentionally. He just forgot or perhaps became sidetracked. That's the way people are. It is easy when someone wrongs us somehow to ascribe the worse possible motives to them. They meant to do it! They have been trying to find a way to get you back! Ignore you! In truth, we just need to get over it. People will disappoint. To come down hard on someone for that is hypocritical. Have you never disappointed someone? Failed to do something you said you would do? Do you want God to hold you to such a standard? Stop ascertaining their character and just forgive them (Matthew 6:14) when they ask. This isn't excusing neglectful or sinful behavior, but it is showing mercy.