Genesis 37

(February 14, 2014)
We spend our time in our lives fighting moral battles along the margins (usually).  We do not become righteous quickly, but rather we progress from here to there line upon line and precept upon precept.  As a result of that, we often make poor judgments about others (and even about ourselves).

It is easy to condemn all of the sons of Israel for their behavior in this chapter.  Reuben speaks on Joseph’s behalf, but only in limiting their actions to passively killing him rather than actively killing him.  Do we condemn this, or do we recognize that by his limited moral qualms he save Israel from ruin?  Likewise, Judah was motivated to make some profit on the destruction of Joseph.  Do we condemn this, or do we recognize that by this action Joseph’s life was spared (and all Israel with him)?

These are more difficult issues to deal with, but they are important ones.  I think we view people and see that there is a righteous action and a wicked action and those who choose righteously are righteous and those who choose wickedly are wicked.  But sometimes at the point of decision, a lifetime of poor choices in one area or another leaves us without the capacity of choosing the best possible path.  Instead, we choose between the wicked or the less wicked.  It isn’t right, and I believe that through the Grace of God we can escape this reality, but when left to our own strength often righteousness eludes us and those around us.

In these circumstances, the correct action for us to take is to apply President Hinckley’s advice to try a little harder to do a little better.  Win some battles on the margins.  Increase our capacity to do good.  Be better today than yesterday, and end our day with a resolve to make tomorrow even better.  When the struggle is in watching those we love, and those whose actions may cause us pain, we must remember that it isn’t about us.  They may very well be doing the best that they can, and their good decisions on the margins can be magnified by the Lord.  When facing destruction in the pit, the Lord can take the help of our loved ones (even if it is ever so slight – leave us to die of thirst rather than killing us, or selling us into slavery rather than killing us), and magnify that to our benefit and the benefit of those we love.  It is a remarkable thing, when you think about it.