In this unit, we will be exploring stories from the Bible that emphasize God’s love and care for us, as well as the fact that we can love and trust God in return. Nothing is more basic to a child’s growth and well-being than a steady, trusting relationship. And just as they need that kind of relationship with their parents or caregivers, they also need it in their relationship with God.

We begin with Joseph. While we tend to think of Joseph as a heroic figure in the Bible, his story doesn’t really start out that way. This seventeen-year-old boy is kind of a pain. His father, Jacob, loved Joseph more than all his other sons. And to his discredit, Jacob demonstrated that favoritism. Jacob gave Joseph an expensive and exclusive gift in the form of a multicolored coat. Joseph’s brothers hated him, and we can understand why.

Joseph had dreams, and in each one it turns out that he’s at the center, shining with importance. Having a dream is one thing, but telling it to your brothers is another, especially when you know it’s going to make them even more jealous. Joseph was either naïve or malicious, for he related his dreams to his brothers with great gusto. Joseph even succeeded in getting his father angry at him. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” Jacob asks in a huff (37:10).

The brothers finally get their chance for revenge when Jacob sends Joseph to check on his older brothers, who are away with the flocks. Their plan is to kill Joseph and make it look like the work of a wild animal. Interestingly, the oldest brother, Reuben, wants to spare Joseph’s life and bring him back home. So the brothers take Joseph, remove his “richly ornamented” robe, and throw him into a deep cistern. After some heated discussion, they decided that, instead of killing him, they will sell him into slavery.

At chapter 39:2 the story takes a sharp turn. Before, it was all about the prideful Joseph and his jealous brothers. There isn’t a hint of God’s participation. Now we read that “the Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered. . . .” Read the rest of the story with that in mind. As it unfolds, from the treachery and injustice of Potiphar’s wife, to years in prison, to that fateful day when Pharaoh summons Joseph to interpret his dream, God is at work. Even within the mess of this dysfunctional family and the injustice of imprisonment and slavery, God guides events in such a way as to preserve his covenant people.