16 January | Youth

Too Far

«So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan. Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him.» Genesis 37:17, 18

Going back on a decision is a painful process. Anyone can feel devastated after acting thoughtlessly or wrongly. This happened to Joseph's brothers when they threw him into a well. Killing someone intentionally is not natural. However, turning back and seeking redemption, while necessary, is even more unnatural. And this happens because pride leads to self-deception, producing the blindness of sin.

Joseph's brothers gave up killing him because Reuben, the oldest, convinced them otherwise.

Those boys wanted to have their rights respected, so they demanded equal treatment from their father. Was there anything wrong with that? Was it not a fair expectation? The best causes, however, become the worst when the methods used are inappropriate, and the arguments hide the true feelings that make us act.

What motivated Joseph's brothers was envy and wounded pride, not a legitimate sense of justice. What justice is there in what they did? Let us face it, they crossed the line! They gave up on killing Joseph, but not on harming him. When they sold him to the Ishmaelites as a slave, they “were moved with pity, but all felt that they had now gone too far to retreat” (Ellen G. White, Beginning of the End, p. 127).

For God, too far is a place that does not exist. Once doubt settles in the heart, a person is ready to “play God” and make decisions that they will certainly regret. Learn from the mistakes of Joseph's brothers. If you took the wrong path, take a step back. Make a U-turn. Rethink. Say you are sorry. Humble yourself. Cry, if necessary. Better the tears of repentance than those of obstinate sin, don't you think? There is no point of no return to God. He caught up with and forgave Joseph's brothers years after they tried to kill him. Time and distance are no problem for God. Today, with open arms, He waits for you to write a new page in the book of your life. Do not harden your heart (Heb 4:7). Repent while you still have time.