Pastor Raymond Osborne

�Be Ye Kind One to Another�
Genesis 45:1-5

When I look back upon my life, I am able to see how far God has brought me in my walk with Him. I use to be a hard, �in your face� kind of guy.

I remember when I played football in college, I would line up in my position, I would get in my three-point stance, grit my teeth on my mouth guard, look the other person square in the eyes, and say, �Say night, night!� I had my timing perfected and when that count was given, and the ball snapped, I would explode off that line with one goal in mind � to inflict as much pain in the guy across from me as was humanly possible.

Let me ask you some questions this morning.

What would you have done if you had been Joseph? What if your brothers or a sister had plotted to destroy you because they were jealous of you?

How, would YOU have responded?

I use to be a �get-even� type of guy.

It was my only time to attend a high school prom. My date had a long, gorgeous yellow dress, and I rented a yellow tuxedo with black lapels. I looked like a giant canary!

Well, there use to be a dance called �the bump� back then � you may remember it. It went something like this.

Well, my date thought it would be a funny thing if when we bumped our hips together she went flying through the door. She did and I will never forget the rage that I experienced as everyone who saw it laughed at me.

It was literally pouring the rain when we left that prom and as I approached her house I stopped two blocks away, looked at her and said, �The road stops here. You may get out now.�

Do you know what a pitiful sight it was to see that young lady holding up that long yellow gown and carrying her new shoes in that downpour?

What about you? Are you a �get-even� type of person?

I�ve attended clergy meetings and on occasion I�ve had a pastor walk up to me and fill my ears full of how mean his or her church was to them. I�ve actually heard the words, �One day I will attain the position of District Superintendent and hold a position on the cabinet. Then I�ll get even with that church for all it is putting me through!�

You don�t have to be an �in your face� type of person. Perhaps you�re the type that works behind the scenes to �get-even� with someone. You know � the type that says, �They�ll never know it was me, they may even never know it�s coming, but I�ll get them!�

What did Joseph do? Carla read for us the plot of the brothers, let me read to you what Joseph did when he was finally in a position to �get-even.� We find it in Genesis 45.

1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it.

3 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

8 "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. 9 Now hurry back to my father and say to him, 'This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don't delay. 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me-you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. 11 I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.'

12 "You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly."

14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.� (NIV)

Joseph had risen to a position where he could have really gotten even with his brothers didn�t he? But, as we read that�s not what he did. Instead of repaying evil with evil, instead of having a �get-even� type of mentality, he reached down deep in his heart and repaid the evil with KINDNESS!

What does Jesus have to say about all this?

In Matthew, chapter 5 we find his words:

38"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.� (NIV)

Have you ever stood across from Jesus with the sole purpose of inflicting as much pain as possible on him? Or have you ever decided to �get-even� with Jesus? Have you ever held a grudge against Jesus or failed to forgive him?

Michael Christianson tells a haunting little story about Mother Teresa. Having gone to Calcutta to study her life he tells of one particular day he was standing in a make-shift hospital. A nurse came running by him carrying a baby that had been left in the gutter to die. Rats had chewed off the baby�s hands and most of it�s feet. It was more than Michael could bare!

He ran out of the hospital and sat down on a bench, placing his face in his hands he began to weep.

Mother Teresa and some other people walked by and Mother Teresa happened to notice Michael sitting on the bench weeping. Sending the other on she walked over and sat down beside Michael.

�Michael? What�s wrong?�

�How do you do this? I mean I am here gathering my research and I can go home and leave it all behind. But you do this day in, and day out, year after year. How?�

�Michael when you look at these people what do you see?�

�I see poverty. I see sickness. I see hopelessness.�

�Michael the answer is right here in your hand. Give me your hand. You see Michael when I look at these people I see Jesus.�

Then she took his hand and touching each finger she said these words, �Remember, Jesus said, �You do it to me.��

In his letter to the church of Ephesus, the Apostle Paul wrote these words, �And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.� (Ephesians 4:32 KJV)

As I close let me ask you a provoking question, one that I hope will cause you to stop and think about the Fruit of Kindness.

Do you realize that when you get angry at someone else, when you try to �get-even� with someone for a wrong that you either perceive as being done against you, or that actually was done against you, that you are doing it to Jesus? Everyone of us is a child of God, and to be anything less than kind, no matter the circumstances, is an act committed against the very one who gave his life for us.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

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