【双语灵修】一个最得宠的儿子——一个被鄙视的兄弟A FAVORITE SON–A DESPISED BROTHER
创世记 37:1-11
雅各住在迦南地，就是他父亲寄居的地。 雅各的记略如下。约瑟十七岁与他哥哥们一同牧羊。他是个童子，与他父亲的妾辟拉、悉帕的儿子们常在一处。约瑟将他哥哥们的恶行报给他们的父亲。 以色列原来爱约瑟过于爱他的众子，因为约瑟是他年老生的，他给约瑟做了一件彩衣。 约瑟的哥哥们见父亲爱约瑟过于爱他们，就恨约瑟，不与他说和睦的话。
约瑟做了一梦，告诉他哥哥们，他们就越发恨他。 约瑟对他们说：“请听我所做的梦： 我们在田里捆禾稼，我的捆起来站着，你们的捆来围着我的捆下拜。” 他的哥哥们回答说：“难道你真要做我们的王吗？难道你真要管辖我们吗？”他们就因为他的梦和他的话越发恨他。 后来他又做了一梦，也告诉他的哥哥们说：“看哪，我又做了一梦，梦见太阳、月亮与十一个星向我下拜。” 约瑟将这梦告诉他父亲和他哥哥们，他父亲就责备他说：“你做的这是什么梦！难道我和你母亲、你弟兄果然要来俯伏在地，向你下拜吗？” 他哥哥们都嫉妒他，他父亲却把这话存在心里。
星期三
三月十一日
一个最得宠的儿子——一个被鄙视的兄弟
“约瑟的哥哥们见父亲爱约瑟过于爱他们，就恨约瑟 … 。” - 创 37:4
雅各理应知道不该这样做。他明白有一个被父亲偏爱的兄弟（《创世记》 25:27-28）的感受。无论如何，他还是爱他的儿子约瑟多过其他的儿子。悲哀的是，雅各这样偏爱，引起约瑟哥哥们对约瑟的嫉妒和怨恨。
当约瑟的哥哥见到他时，他们的血压会升高，怒火中烧。虽然如此，倘若约瑟没有讲出他所做的梦的含意，以致煽风点火，他们或许会控制一下他们的怒火。梦境是从神而来的，约瑟却引以为傲。他认为那些梦的意思是说，他比兄弟优胜，甚至他的父亲也因他对梦境的那些自我中心的解释而责备他。那些梦境的意思将来会清楚显明出来（《创世记》 41-47章），那时他的兄弟们只知道一件事，就是他们不想和约瑟有任何瓜葛！
在这个故事中，我们最终看到，纵使每个人都抱着邪恶的态度，神却使用这个破碎家庭的失败，把它变为美事。我们更学了功课，就是神能透过我们的世界，以及我们心中的困难作工，来成就更新和更美好的事。祂必信实地保守祂为我们存留和安排的目标和计划。
祷告
主啊，感谢你愿意在我们生命中的混乱和困难中与我们相交。在我们看见别人的失败之前，求你首先开我们的眼睛，看看自己心里的罪恶。求你帮助我们在你的家中和谐共处，把你的慈爱和祝福传给其他人。阿们。
Genesis 37:1-11
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11
A FAVORITE SON–A DESPISED BROTHER
When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him. . . . —Genesis 37:4
Jacob should have known better. He knew what it was like to have a brother whom his father loved more than him (Genesis 25:27-28), but he favored his son Joseph over his other sons anyway. Sadly, that led to jealousy and resentment among Joseph’s brothers.
When Joseph’s older brothers looked at him, their blood pressure went up and hatred filled their hearts. Still, they might have kept their emotions in check if Joseph hadn’t stirred the pot with notions about the dreams he had had.
God had provided the dreams, but Joseph took pride in them. He interpreted those dreams as showing that he was better than his brothers, and even his father rebuked him for the self-centered nature of those interpretations. The meaning of those dreams became clear later (Genesis 41-47), but all that the brothers knew now was that they didn’t want anything to do with Joseph!
In this story we eventually see that God can take the human failings of all of these broken family members to bring about something good, despite the sinful attitudes in each individual’s heart. We also learn in life that God works through the troubles in our world and in our hearts to make something new and better. He is faithful to the purpose and plan that he holds and creates for us.
Lord, thank you for being willing to meet us in the messes and troubles of life. Open our eyes to see the sin in our own hearts before we see the failings of others. Help us to live in unity as your family and to spread your love and blessings to others. Amen.