I am reading a book called “Making It Right When You Feel Wronged.” Jeff Wickwire is the author and I love his writing style and examples. In Part 2, he entitles it,
“Offenses Come In Many Colors.”
I just couldn’t help but think of the widely known story in the Bible about Joseph and his
coat of many colors.
That
coat of many colors
sure caused a lot of offenses that
came in many colors,
huh?
Just a quick survey of Genesis 37 reveals quite an array.
From verse 4 ... could not speak peaceably
From verse 8 ... they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words
From verse 11 … his brothers envied him
From verse 18 … they conspired against him to kill him
From verses 19 to 22 … they contrived a deceitful plot
From verse 28 … sold their brother for 20 shekels
From verse 31 … killed a goat (innocent bystander) for their plan
From verse 32 … conjured up a lie to tell their father
… and that’s just 1 chapter in the coat of many colors story!
We can gleam so much from this familiar Old Testament Sunday school teaching.
There are countless sermons that could be preached concerning Joseph’s life and times.
Let’s just examine one article.
The coat of many colors.
We already glanced at quite a few verses in Chapter 37 that caused a pit of bitterness
to develop in Joseph’s siblings that eventually led Joseph and his brothers into
a pit of death
that only the One,
that conquered
the pit of death
could heal
the pit of bitterness.
Do you have a
coat of many colors
that causes
offenses in many colors
that you like to put on?
The red in your coat…
What does it represent for you?
The blood of Jesus
or
the wrath, rage and anger of self?
The green in your coat…
What does it represent for you?
The new life growing in Christ
Or
the monster of envy and jealousy?
The white in your coat…
What does it represent for you?
The purity from His forgiveness that has washed us whiter than snow
or
The “whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men‘s bones and all uncleanness?”
Mathew 23:27 b, c
The black in your coat…
What does it represent for you?
The mark He covers your errors with so no one can see them
or
The mark you put on other peoples mistakes for everyone to see?
The yellow in your coat…
What does it represent for you?
The Lilies of the valley He plants each year
or
the skin we are often in when we lack His courage?
The orange in your coat…
What does it represent for you?
The harvest moon that matches the fall foliage making it pop against the dark night
or
the “winning team” you forsake worship and fellowship for each weekend during football season?
The purple in your coat…
What does it represent for you?
His royalty we get to be heirs to
or
that sought after paint or fabric swatch to match your designer style you spent a small fortune and too many hours on?
…and the blue and brown…
…the blue and brown…
Does the blue and brown in your coat of many colors bring out the blue or brown in your eyes
or
does it show up in varied shades
upon the skin
around the heart
or
by the ego?
That’s some coat of many colors.
Does it really bring out
offenses in many colors?
Honest or not.
Cold or hot?
Your coat of many colors that
displays the offenses in a rainbow of flavors,
whether tucked neatly away in the closet
or
worn proudly like a strutting peacock
will lead you to the same pit Joseph and his brothers ended up in.
There is a happy ending to this colorful drama
(you know how I like happy endings!)
in Genesis 50,
with 13 chapters of twists and turns, trials and suffering, ups and downs, love and hate…
all the makings of a great prime time mini series
or
a Hollywood blockbuster.
Each color of thread used to weave Joseph’s coat can be found woven in our lives,
creating a tapestry of opportunities
to be offended,
or
to get offended.
Those offenses can stain us with deep embers akin to the modern day tattoo.
Joseph had plenty of opportunities to be marked by life’s unpleasantries that
could have
should have
would have
led him straight to the pit of hell.
but
the only One
who can get the stains out
is the only One
who can take away the offenses.
He will make an exchange that reads like this:
“But as for you, you meant evil against me;
But God meant it for good…”
Genesis 50: 20 a
Let God take the flaws in your brightly colored tunic and bring about opportunities for good rather than letting the colors bleed through leaving marks that will forever scar.
Of course, even if you have already gotten a few scars and you think it’s too late, just know MeDerma is not the only product to deal with scar care.
Jesus has every initial behind His name required.
There is no trip to the ER needed.
Insurance is optional.
Co-pay’s do not exist.
Rehabilitation is free and found 24/7 on the pages between
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
and
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen”
