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. (Genesis 45:1)

Put yourself in Joseph’s moccasins. You’ve finally got your brothers where you want them. Yes, the very same guys who nicknamed you “Dreamer” in the derogatory sense of the word and loved to make fun of your dreams.

“Aha, so you actually think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” (Genesis 37:8) The same crew that hated him and was jealous of him.

Joseph’s mind flashed back to the day they threw him in the pit. And the disgusting discussion they had over killing him. How could he forget the moment they sold him as a slave for 20 shekels? How could he ignore that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach when he was bought by Potiphar? He felt more like a slab of meat than a normal human being.

The memories flooded his mind as he recalled all the trouble he had experienced in Egypt since then. Falsely accused of rape by his boss’s wife. In prison with the most unsavoury characters imaginable. Forgotten by the cupbearer who had promised to “remember” him when Pharaoh released him, exactly as Joseph had interpreted his dream.

All that trouble was all because of these guys. They were at his mercy. He had the perfect opportunity to let all his Egyptian courtiers and friends know what dirty rotten scoundrels they were. Perhaps they would want to administer a shot of Egyptian justice to them. He could sit back and watch with a smirk on his face while clapping his hands with glee. Oh, that would be so sweet J

To embarrass or not…that was the choice. What would Joseph do?

He commands all the Egyptians to leave the room. He would keep his brother’s dastardly deeds to himself. He would not publicize them to the whole wide world.

Then comes the Reveal. “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt.”

Dear DWOD friend, on the road to your destiny, you too could very well run into opportunities such as the one Joseph had to embarrass your enemies. To expose the sins of your ex-es. To shame those who besmirched your good name. To stick it to those who failed to stick with you. To go on the offensive to those who offended you.

It is a great temptation that is very difficult to resist. Sad to say, I’ve been at gatherings where someone has stood up and destroyed another’s reputation by bringing up information that we did not need to know at all. I’ve even had the misfortune of being at meetings where someone has raised in public issues that should’ve been discussed in private with me. It is doubly difficult to resist when you have enough dirt on them to smear their name and enough ammo to smash it to smithereens. What would you do?

Joseph chose not to embarrass his brothers, unlike his ancestor Ham, who rather than cover his father Noah’s shame and not say ‘boo’ about it to anyone, exposed his drunkenness to his brothers. Thankfully they covered his nakedness with dignity (Genesis 9:22-23).

Do you suppose Joseph’s brothers were pleased about not being embarrassed by him? Is there a Pope named Francis? We go on to read in Genesis 9: 26 & 27 that Noah blessed his sons Shem and Japheth for covering him up. Ham’s descendants on the other hand were cursed.

So, the next time an opportunity arises for you to rub your nemesis’ noggin in the dirt, I hope that you too will follow the example of Joseph and others and choose not to embarrass your enemy.

As we are reminded in Proverbs 19:11: “It is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”