The Spoiled Son
Friday of the Second Week of Lent
My dear encountered couples:
“Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons.” That is what we are told about Israel, who is Jacob, in regard to his twelve sons. Joseph was his favorite.
Do parents have favorites among their children? I imagine some do. It could be hard not to. I wonder if that love spoiled Joseph. His brothers must have thought he was spoiled because they were very jealous of what they considered favored treatment of him.
When someone is our favorite, whether it be a child or a friend, we tend to do things that could spoil them whether we think we do or not.
We keep silent when we see them doing what we would criticize or dislike in others, we make excuses for them when they hurt us or do wrong, we buy them special gifts whether they deserve it or not.
We have feelings of love for them so deep that we give them more than ample space to be themselves, whether that be pleasant or unpleasant. That is how it is with God and us. Each of us is his favorite.
God loves each of us with a passion that can quite possibly spoil us. He lets us do what we want, whether it be good or bad, he forgives us of anything and everything, his patience knows no bounds. There is nothing God won’t do for us, nothing he won’t give us. He has already proved that. He gave us his only Son - his Son gave us his life.
“Jacob loved Joseph best of all his Sons.” Did that spoil Joseph? Did Joseph take advantage of his father? Do we take advantage of God?
